Resurrected
by RAC
Summary: The story takes place after The Gift, but before season six started. Buffy is brought back with the help of a new character, but, typical of Sunnydale, there are complications...
1. Default Chapter

Resurrected: A Buffy Fanfic  
  
She sat back in her seat, staring out the window of the train. Anyone passing by might think that she was watching the scenery as it passed. In truth, she was hardly even aware that she was moving. Her body might have been on the train, but her mind was elsewhere. Her mind was in the past, struggling to come to terms with what had happened to her.  
  
For three years, she had been held captive by the government of her home country. While she was being held, she was forced to submit to all manner of experiments. She absently rubbed her side where they had poked her with red-hot swords. She remembered the scientists setting up all of the equipment that they would use to torture her for hours at a time. Heat rarely bothered her now, after everything that she had been through. And the amount of chemicals in her body now was unimaginable. She reached out and grabbed the armrest beside her. It bent easily when she remembered the looks on their faces when they threw her naked, battered body out into the snow.  
  
That was when she got the nerve to attempt escape. She had waited until just the right time, and then, she had struck, with the same cold, calculating hatred that they had shown her. She had no feelings of guilt. Remorse had been driven from her mind long ago. Leaving all twelve guards and six researchers dead, she had run. She had to avoid all contact with others until she had escaped the country, and then, after that, she was free to do whatever she wanted.  
  
The one thing that helped her was the fact that she had so many enhanced abilities. If she hadn't been able to withstand extreme conditions, she wouldn't have survived. Having escaped in the middle of a blizzard would have meant instant death to anyone else. And then there was the fire. She should have been ashes, but thanks to the experiments, she was now unaffected by the flames. She counted this as a double blessing. Suddenly, she was aware that someone was talking to her.  
  
"Miss?" asked the conductor. "Miss, the train has stopped."  
  
"Oh. Th-thank you. And, where exactly are we?" she asked.  
  
"In Los Angeles, miss," he said with a chuckle.  
  
"Los Angeles already? I must have dozed off. Thank you again, sir," she told him as she stood up, grabbed her worn backpack and stepped off the train.  
  
The conductor stared after her for a few moments. Then, he sighed and turned around. As he stepped up into the train, he heard a scream. He quickly turned around and rushed toward the noise. When he turned the corner beside the station, he froze. The scene before him was like nothing he had ever seen before. There were two women, a blonde and a brunette, and it looked like they were kissing the men they held in their arms. If that was the case, then, who had screamed, and why? He looked around, trying to find someone else. He looked back at the women, and noticed that one was holding a woman, not a man like he had first believed.  
  
"Well, you are in LA," he said to himself as he turned around to go back to the train. Just then, something else registered in his mind. There was blood. There wasn't supposed to be blood when people kissed. He turned back around, as the women dropped their meals, and turned to face him.  
  
"Ooh!" hissed the brunette. "Look, Grandmum. Dessert!"  
  
"Drusilla!" screeched the blonde. "How many times have I told you about the Grandmum thing?"  
  
"Sorry, Gr—Darla. But, check out this tasty morsel," whined Drusilla as she pointed at the conductor. The man just stood there, unable to move. The two vampires approached him. The only things moving, besides them, were the eyes of the conductor. Those brown eyes moved from one vampire to the other. He finally regained enough control to scream, as each of the vamps sank her teeth into his neck.  
  
"Mmm. Yummy," said Drusilla.  
  
"Yes, that was one of the best, uh, desserts we've had in a long time," added Darla. She was about to say something else, when Drusilla interrupted her.  
  
"What's this?" Dru asked the air. "Someone is close by."  
  
"Dru, we are at a train station! Of course there is someone nearby!" hissed Darla.  
  
"No! Not one of them. One of us! Someone I sired," whispered Dru.  
  
"Spike?" asked Darla.  
  
"Oh! Why do you mention him?" whined Dru as she put her hands to her face. "You know how much he embarrasses me! A vampire in love with a Slayer! What could be worse?"  
  
"Well, his grandsire has a soul, and is in love with the same Slayer," added Darla.  
  
"Stop it! You are just making things worse! At least Angel has an excuse! That cursed soul is what caused him to love the Slayer. Spike has no soul. H-he, he had…me! And he threw it all away for her! For a Slayer! I might as well stake myself!"  
  
"Dru! Snap out of it! If it isn't Spike, then who is it?" demanded Darla.  
  
"Auroura," said the girl from the train as she stepped into view.  
  
"Auroura!" exclaimed Darla. "What are you doing here? We heard that you were killed in Europe. Too bad the rumors were wrong."  
  
"Good to see you too, Darla," said Auroura as she moved closer to Dru. "I heard what you said about Spike. Seems a shame to let a vamp as evil as Spike to, uh, shall we say, cross over. Perhaps I should go try to win him back to our side?"  
  
"No, love. You can't. He has a chip in his head, and he has lost his will to be evil," explained Dru. "I should know. I tried to win him back, but the bloody fool refused to listen." She looked at Auroura, obviously hurt. "He betrayed me. Worse, he threatened to kill me! And for what? For her! I hate the Slayer!"  
  
"Well, mum, that seems really bad, but, let's face it, you aren't what you used to be. Besides, you're old!" Auroura said.  
  
"Old? How dare you!" Dru reached out and slapped Auroura. "I am not that much older than you are! Darla here is the old one!"  
  
"Hey!" screamed Darla. "Don't drag me into your fight! You sired her. You deal with her. Alone!" Darla turned and headed off towards the train.  
  
"Mum, I am sorry. I did not come here to fight with you," Auroura apologized as she stood face to face with the vampire who had sired her. "In fact, I wasn't even aware that you were in this place. I was just…running."  
  
Dru reached out and caressed the girl's cheek. She looked into her eyes, and smiled. It was a very sad smile. "I see. You have been hurt. You were held captive? That must have been awful. Have you come back to join me, like you should have done from the beginning?" She hugged the girl as she spoke.  
  
"Actually, I was looking for Spike," explained Auroura. I had heard from a demon in France that he was in Los Angeles. So, here I am."  
  
"But, you have found your family," pleaded Dru.  
  
"No, I have found the woman who cursed me to eternal solitude! You don't care about me! If you did, you would have killed me when I begged you to. Instead, you selfishly sired me! I wouldn't join you if it was my only alternative to death!" screamed Auroura. She pushed away from Dru and ran in the opposite direction. She was still running when she ran into another blonde, this one human. She looked at the woman for a minute, wondering what she should say. Fortunately, the other woman spoke first.  
  
"Whoa! What's wrong?"  
  
"Uh, nothing," said Auroura.  
  
"It's okay. I'm a cop," said the stranger. She shook her head. "I mean, I used to be a cop. But, I can still tell when someone is running from a bad situation. So, do you want to tell me what's going on?"  
  
"I…I d-don't know," sobbed Auroura.  
  
"You don't know what's wrong?" asked the cop.  
  
"Oh, no. I know what's wrong. I just don't know if I want to tell you," declared the girl.  
  
"Okay. Fair enough. Well, let's start with your name. My name, by the way, is Kate. What's your name?"  
  
"I-I'm Auroura."  
  
"Auroura. That is a very nice name. See? We're off to a great start." Auroura just looked at her. "All right," continued Kate, "if you don't want to tell me anything, you don't have to. But, will you at least let me take you somewhere? It isn't safe out here for a girl your age. You're what? Fifteen? Sixteen?"  
  
"Uh, yeah. I'm sixteen. But, I don't have anywhere to go. I am an orphan, you see, and I just got here, on the train, and then, I saw…" Auroura was good at this particular act. She had used it so often in the past two hundred years. It had taken her a while to get it down so perfectly, but now, she could convince just about anyone that she was just a sad little orphan, in need of help. It had gotten her meals more times than she could count. It had also gotten her captured by the government.  
  
"What? What did you see?" asked Kate. Auroura buried her head in Kate's shoulder and began crying. Kate held her for a few moments, and then pushed her gently away. "I know this must be hard for you, but, please, if it was something bad, we should let the cops know."  
  
"But, y-you won't b-believe me!" sobbed Auroura. She looked into Kate's face. The woman believed her!  
  
"Now, just calm down. Tell me the truth, and I will decide what we should do."  
  
"But—"  
  
"It's okay. As long as you tell me the truth, we won't have any problems."  
  
"Well, I was on the train. I-I fell asleep, and, and when we stopped, I didn't w-wake up right away. The conductor, he w-woke me up, and helped me get off the train, but, but there w-wasn't anyone around. I wanted t-to ask him to walk me into the station, but he w-was already back on the train. So, I, I went toward the station, and, and I heard something beside it. I w-went around the station. I, I know I shouldn't have, but—" Auroura broke into sobs again.  
  
"It's okay," said Kate, as she reached out and hugged Auroura. Auroura smiled as Kate held her. Then, as Kate let go, she continued.  
  
"Well, I went around the side of the station, and, and…Are you sure you won't hit me?" asked Auroura as she drew back away from Kate.  
  
"Of course I won't hit you. Why on Earth would I hit you?" asked Kate.  
  
"Well, that's what my foster father would do when he thought I was making things up. And, even though I am not making this up, it sounds like something someone would make up, and I don't want to get hit, so I am not sure if I can trust you even though you said you wouldn't hit me, because he has said that to me, too, and then hit me anyway when I told him."  
  
"Calm down. I am not going to hit you. I am not going to do anything but help you, but only if you tell me the truth," explained Kate.  
  
"Okay. I'll tell you," began Auroura as she took a step away from Kate. "I saw two women, one a brunette, the other a blonde. They were walking along, and this couple approached them. The two women…uh, changed, and began attacking the couple! I was so scared! I couldn't move! My voice wouldn't come out! I was so scared, thinking that they might come after me, as well. Then, the conductor of the train came over, and, and, and the women attacked him, too. They killed him!" exclaimed Auroura as she started sobbing again. Kate reached out and held her again.  
  
"It's okay. I believe you. I've seen similar things, myself. You'll be okay. I think I know of a place where you'll be safe," said Kate.  
  
"I…" said Auroura as she looked up into Kate's face. She was surprised to see a look of concern on the woman's face. No one had ever cared about her before, much less a perfect stranger. She just nodded, and then buried her head in Kate's shoulder. It was nice to have someone hold her.  
  
"I just need you to do something for me, if you feel up to it," added Kate.  
  
"Uh…"  
  
"I will need you to show me where this happened. I know you said by the train station, but I need a more specific location. Can you show me the place where you saw this happen?" Kate asked.  
  
"I…I guess I could. I mean, I don't think they are still there, so it should be okay, right?" Auroura asked in her most innocent voice.  
  
"Well, if they are still there, we will get out of there as soon as possible. Don't worry. I will protect you," Kate assured her.  
  
"Okay, well, if you say so. I'll show you. It's this way." Auroura turned around and started walking towards the train station. She turned often to make sure that Kate was still with her.  
  
***  
  
Dawn sat on the ground beside Buffy's grave. Willow and Tara were off to the side, letting Dawn be on her own. She was aware that the witches were talking about something, but she couldn't hear exactly what was being said. Not that it mattered anyway. Dawn was depressed, and there was nothing anyone could say or do to relive that depression. She hurt more than she ever thought possible. Everything was happening way to fast for her to be able to process anything.  
  
"Dawny," said Willow. "We need to be going now. You are expected in court in about fifteen minutes."  
  
"I am not going," declared Dawn. "I am going to stay here. I am not needed there anyway. I'm just a stupid little kid."  
  
"Dawn, you are not stupid," said Tara. She sat next to dawn, and put her arm around the girl's shoulders. "I…know that I can never truly understand what you are going through. I won't even pretend that I can. I do, however, know that you are not stupid, and that you are needed in the court today. It's all about you."  
  
"Yeah. You are the reason for all of this," said Willow. She flushed as Dawn stared at her in horror. "That's not what I meant!" Dawn stood up and ran off. "Tara, we have to go after her! I didn't mean—"  
  
"Willow, I know. Let's just go after her. I'll try to explain it to her. If we catch her," said Tara as she headed off in the same direction that Dawn had gone. Willow stared after her for a moment, then followed.  
  
***  
  
As soon as they were out of sight, a new figure approached the tombstone. The heavy purple robe covered the person completely. There was no telling whether it was male or female, human or…otherwise. The figure knelt beside the tombstone. It reached out and, keeping it's hand hidden in the sleeve of the robe, stroked the tombstone. It traced the letters of Buffy's name. A noise from nearby startled the figure, and they stood up. The figure seemed to float as it moved along. As it rounded the side of a building, a brown tail escaped from under the robe. The tail was like that of a mouse, only much larger.  
  
"Did you see that?" Anya asked Xander as they approached the stone.  
  
"See what, Anya?"  
  
"There was a, a hooded figure. And, it had a tail!" exclaimed Anya. She was pointing at the corner of the building. Xander looked where she was pointing.  
  
"No, I don't see anything. Why don't you go check it out?" Xander asked.  
  
"Fine. But if it is a monster, and it kills me, then you will really regret sending a girl to do your manly job!" hissed Anya as she headed off after the hooded figure. Xander watched until she had turned the corner, and was out of sight. He shook his head and turned back to Buffy's grave. He knelt beside it and placed a bouquet of roses on the dirt.  
  
"Hey, Buf. It's still weird not having you around. We are all taking care of each other. Your death was hardest on Dawn. She has been staying with Willow and Tara. We are on the way to the court now to see if your father is going to take custody, or if she will be staying with Giles. Well, I had better go get Anya before she gets herself into some trouble. We miss you." He stood up and turned away, a tear rolling down his cheek. He wiped it away as he headed after Anya.  
  
***  
  
He found her just around the corner, waiting for him. She smiled at him, and told him that she knew he would come after her. He told her that they needed to be going, and they left the cemetery. They were almost to the courthouse when Anya smacked him on the shoulder and pointed off into the distance.  
  
"There it is again!" she screamed.  
  
"There what is again?" demanded Xander.  
  
"The, the…uh, thing from the cemetery! It just went into that alley! We have to go after it! It could be a demon!" Anya grabbed his hand and ran after the figure. Xander reluctantly followed. He didn't want to battle a demon. He wanted to go into the courthouse and wait for the judge to make whatever decision he was going to make, and then, depending on what the decision was, either take Dawn out for a celebration, or say goodbye to her forever. Instead, here he was, chasing after some figure that Anya may or may not have actually seen.  
  
They reached an alley, and Anya stared into it. Xander just stood beside her, waiting for her to decide what she was going to do. She looked at him, then the alley, then back at him. She was trying to decide. She knew that he didn't want to be there. But, she also knew that she had seen something, and that it could very well be a demon. Finally, she decided that a demon was more important. She ran into the alley. She had to find some clue as to where the figure had gone from there. She looked all over, but couldn't find any evidence that anything had been there. She hung her head as she walked back to Xander, who just stood there, patiently waiting for her.  
  
"I didn't find anything. But I know I saw something!" she hissed as she took his hand and headed back in the direction they had come.  
  
"I know," said Xander. "I just…I don't know. Buffy's been gone for less than a week, and I just keep expecting her to jump in and help us. Only, she never does."  
  
"I know what you mean. It's just too weird that we have to do everything. Oh, Xander! What if the judge makes Dawn leave, too?" Anya had stopped. She was staring at him, expecting some sort of answer, and he just didn't have one. He didn't know. He knew that it was possible that Dawn would leave, but, now that the reality had finally hit him, he realized he didn't know if he would be able to accept that. He had imagined saying goodbye to her several times, but suddenly, it was too much for him to even contemplate.  
  
"I…" was all he could say to her. She hugged him, and then they again headed to the court. This time, the figure stepped directly in front of them. There was no mistaking it. Anya looked at Xander, suddenly not as brave as she had been a short time ago. Xander looked back at her, and then faced the figure. He stepped in front of Anya, and the two of them began to slowly back up.  
  
"I mean you no harm," said the figure. "I am only here to perform a simple service, and then I will again be gone. Unfortunately, the person I was sent to meet is nowhere to be found. Do you know where I can find a man named Rupert Giles?"  
  
Xander and Anya looked at each other. They weren't sure what they should do. They had no idea who, or what, was in front of them. The voice sounded sincere, but how did they know they could trust this figure. They stepped back again, and then Xander spoke.  
  
"What business is it of yours?" he asked.  
  
"Don't make it angry," hissed Anya as she hit him on the shoulder.  
  
"Oh, of course. You have no idea who I am," said the figure. It reached up and grasped its hood. "I am going to show you who I am. Don't be alarmed." The hood went down. Xander and Anya just stared. The figure was a girl! She didn't look much older than Dawn. Anya pulled Xander down and whispered something to him. Xander shook his head.  
  
"I am not asking her about a tail!" he whispered to her.  
  
"But, I know I saw one!!" screamed Anya. She turned and looked at the girl in front of them. She blushed immediately, knowing that the stranger must know that she was the topic of the conversation. The stranger, however, seemed not to notice. Anya considered herself lucky, until the stranger spoke.  
  
"I am sure that you'd feel better is I took off my robe," said the stranger. She bent down, grabbed the hem of her robe, and pulled it up over her head. There she stood, a girl, no more than fourteen or fifteen, wearing a pair of jeans, and a white T-shirt. As she spun around, free from her heavy robe, Anya noticed that there was no tail. A fact that Xander made sure she knew.  
  
"See?" he hissed into Anya's ear. "I told you she didn't have a tail!"  
  
"Oh. Hello. I am Anya, and this is Xander," said Anya as an introduction.  
  
"Hello. My name is Beyoncé," said the stranger. "I am a Wicca; sent here to assist a Mister Rupert Giles in a spe…specific um, project. Do you know where I might be able to find him?"  
  
"Oh, sure," began Anya. "He's right over at the—"  
  
"Magic shop. That's right, Anya. We should take her over there right away," interrupted Xander. He grabbed his new acquaintance by the wrist and led her to the magic shop. Anya followed, slowly. When they reached the shop, Xander pretended to be surprised.  
  
"Hmm. I don't see him anywhere. I thought for sure he'd be here. He owns the place, you know?" Xander asked Beyoncé. Then, before she could answer, Xander turned to Anya. "An, hon, why don't you help me look for him in the back room?" He grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her along behind him. Once in the back room, he turned to her and angrily began shouting at her.  
  
"Anya! What in the world are you doing? You were going to tell a complete stranger where Giles is? What is wrong with you? We don't know anything about her! She could have been sent here to kill Giles! Or the rest of us! Or all of us for that matter!"  
  
"I…well, you are the one who brought her to the magic shop! If she is here to kill someone, you just invited her to do so! I can't believe you are yelling at me when what you did is so much worse than what I did!" screamed Anya.  
  
"Um," began Beyoncé, stepping into the room. "I am not here to kill anyone. Quite the opposite, I assure you. Do you know Buffy Summers?"  
  
"Why do you want to know?" demanded Xander.  
  
"She's the reason I am here," explained Beyoncé. "You see, I was sent here by…I really should be telling this to Giles. Do you know where he really is? It is vital that I speak with him. Oh, and there is supposed to be a Willow, and a Tara. They are both witches, too. Do you know who they are? Or where they are?"  
  
"Uh," said Xander. He glanced over at Anya, who just shrugged her shoulders and stepped back. "Well, I'll tell you what. Giles really does own this place. He will be here at some point during the day. Anya works here, too. She is a cashier. Willow, Tara and Giles will all be here…some time. I suggest that we just wait here, and that way, we will be sure to find them. Or rather, they will find us."  
  
"Are you absolutely certain that they will be here some time today? It is so important that I find them today. Time is essential for our…uh, project. We must begin within the next" she checked her watch "ten hours. No, actually we should start no later than, uh, eight hours from now. It will take approximately two hours, and it has to be done by midnight!"  
  
"Um, sure. They will definitely be here," said Xander. He glanced at Anya. She smiled at him, and then went into the front of the store. They heard the bell over the front door ring, and Anya asking if she could help. Xander turned to look at Beyoncé again. Her white T-shirt had red sleeves, and a yellow star on the front. Her jeans had a red flower on each leg, with the stems going all the way to the bottom. She looked like a regular, everyday kid. Her brown hair and blue eyes reminded him again of Dawn.  
  
That got him thinking about what he was missing. How far had the hearing gotten? Was it over yet? What had happened? He couldn't wait for Giles to return and tell them the results of the hearing. He hoped that Dawn would be staying, after all, that was what Buffy and Joyce had wanted. Her father didn't even come to town when Joyce died, and didn't even call when Buffy joined her. Xander grew angrier the more he thought of Dawn's father. If he thought for one moment that the courts would agree, he would have petitioned to adopt her himself!  
  
"This is certainly a strange room to be behind a magic shop," Beyoncé observed.  
  
"Uh, yeah. I suppose it is. Um, how much do you know about Giles?" asked Xander.  
  
"Oh, I know enough. I know he is from England. I know he was a librarian at the high school for a while, and then bought this place a while ago. I know he is a good friend to several young adults. I've got a list," said Beyoncé. She fished her list out of her pocket and began reading it. "Oh. I seem to be off to a bad start here. You, Xander, are, uh, were a good friend of Buffy. And Anya, your girlfriend—"  
  
"Fiancée," corrected Xander.  
  
"Hmmm? What?" asked Beyoncé.  
  
"Anya. She is not my girlfriend, she is my fiancée. We are engaged," explained Xander.  
  
"Oh. Excuse me. My list says girlfriend." She took out a pencil and made a few adjustments to her list. "Okay, now. Anya, your fiancée, is a 1,120- year-old ex-demon. A vengeance demon, right? I can see by the look on your face that I am right. Okay. And Willow and Tara are the witches. Says here that they are level 5 Wiccas. They are also lovers? Right? Again, your face answers my questions. Now, I suppose I can tell you that Giles is a member of the Council of Watchers, and that Buffy was the Slayer. Of course, you already know all of this. I suppose I can also let you know the reason that I am here. You see I was sent here to—"  
  
"Xander, they're back! And Dawn is with them!" screamed Anya from the other room. That snapped Xander out of his confusion. He raced into the front of the store. He was rushing over to hug Dawn when he noticed her face. The look of pain on her face froze him in his tracks. He felt as though he had been shot in the stomach. He looked from Dawn to Giles. Giles did not look happy either. Finally, Willow spoke.  
  
"Xander, Mr. Summers never even showed up."  
  
Xander felt even worse now. He thought that he would be happy to find out that Giles was Dawn's new guardian. He never stopped to think what it might be like for Dawn. Having Giles as her new guardian meant that her father wanted nothing to do with her. He stared at her, wishing there was something he could say, something he could do. He went over to her and just hugged her, unsure of what else to do.  
  
Everyone remained quiet for a long time. Beyoncé had entered. No one really noticed her. She stepped up behind Anya and peered out at the people assembled in the front of the magic shop. She recognized Giles right away, since she had been shown his picture before she came to Sunnydale. She was also able to identify Dawn, as she was the only one close to her own age. As Xander stepped away from Dawn, Beyoncé walked up to her. Everyone stared at her as she approached the broken-hearted teen. She stared at Dawn for a moment. Finally, she smiled at Dawn and spoke.  
  
"Hello, Dawn. I have come to help," said Beyoncé.  
  
"H-how?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Well, I'll need some help, which is why I was told about Giles, Willow, and Tara, but I am here to—"  
  
"Who are you?" demanded Giles.  
  
"I am Beyoncé. The Council sent me. I am here to help you resurrect Buffy, the greatest of all the Slayers."  
  
"What? Buffy? But…" began Dawn.  
  
"That's right. I am here to help Giles, Willow and Tara perform the spell to resurrect Buffy," explained Beyoncé.  
  
"Oh," said Giles.  
  
"Beyoncé?" asked Tara.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Um, I thought we couldn't resurrect anyone. I tried it before, and…"  
  
"Ah. You must be Tara, then. Well, Tara, you have to have a very specific spell. And, you have to use a resurrect spell, not a spell to simply revive someone who has died." She turned to Dawn. "I am sorry to have to tell you, though, that your mother has been dead too long for the spell to work on her. I wish this was not so, because I know how much she means to you. But, we will be able to resurrect Buffy. As long as everything goes okay." Beyoncé turned to Giles, Willow and Tara. "The spell is very complicated, and will require four people. Giles, you have some experience with magic, right?"  
  
"Uh, a little. Yes," answered Giles.  
  
"Good. The spell requires all four people involved to have experience with magic. Now, I have a list of things we will need," said Beyoncé as she fished another list form her pocket. She handed the list to Willow, and then continued. "I suggest we get started right away. If the spell has not been completed by midnight tonight, then it can never be performed."  
  
Everyone just stared at the newcomer. She was so young, and yet seemed to know exactly what she was talking about. She also knew things about them that she could only have learned from the Council. This helped them to believe that she truly was who she said she was. Willow quickly began gathering the items on the list. Tara decided to help her. Xander, Dawn, and Beyoncé went to the table where so much research had taken place, and sat down.  
  
***  
  
Auroura woke up early, and headed out into the streets of LA alone. She loved being able to walk in the sunshine. That was the one thing that her government had done to her for which she was actually grateful. It had been something of a shock when she had awakened in that barn, and the sun was shining directly on her. She had thought she was safe, with the blizzard raging outside. She never expected the sun to shine before she woke up again. Despite all of the bad things that had happened to her, she was happy. For the first time in over a century, she was happy.  
  
She walked along the streets, just taking it all in. She had never been to the United States before. Her own country had nothing that even remotely resembled Los Angeles! It was even quite a bit different from all of the other places she had visited. She marveled at things others took for granted. A couple of times, she stopped outside a shop to admire things she saw in the windows. Once, she had even entered a shop. That was too much for her to handle, however, and she quickly returned to the streets.  
  
It was almost noon before she came across someone she recognized. At first, she didn't want to be found, so she avoided the woman. As she watched, she became aware that the woman was not interested in finding he. Auroura found this intriguing. She'd never experienced such a thing. Yeah, Anne was nice, but she was also strict. And, she had to admit, a little weird. Of course, most everyone she encountered was weird.  
  
Like Kate. She had turned out to be very strange, indeed. She not only believed what Auroura had told her, but she acted as if she had encountered it on more than one occasion. There was definitely something different about a human that not only knew that vampires existed, but was also unafraid of them. Kate had set about tracking them almost immediately. It had been hours before Kate had finally led Auroura to the shelter, where she met Anne and was given a bed for the night.  
  
"Now, this is a special occasion, and I am doing this as a favor to Kate," Anne had told her. "After this, if you expect to have a bed for the night in this shelter, you will be inside before ten o'clock. I don't allow drugs or alcohol, and I will not tolerate any illegal activities. As long as you agree to abide by these rules, we will get along fine. If you have any problems with these rules, then I will have to ask you to find another place to stay."  
  
That was three days ago. Since then, Auroura had actually begun to like Anne. And the shelter was nice, too. She had been given some clothes. Not anything new, but things that were better than what she had been wearing. She had a place to be. She was making friends, and most of all, she was able to get away from her "creature-of-the-night" ways. She found that she was also able to survive on the meat she got from the kitchen. She always ordered her meat rare, and it usually contained enough blood to keep her going. What she wasn't able to get from the meat, she got from rats in the neighborhood. No one seemed to pay attention to her when she ducked into a deserted alley to grab a meal. Of course, she needed to do that less and less.  
  
So, here she was, out on the streets of Los Angeles, watching Anne as she went about her own business. Auroura watched as Anne went to various places, asking for donations for the shelter. She was certain that Anne had a hidden agenda. People didn't just help others out of the goodness of their hearts. At least, no one she had ever met had been willing to do so. Everyone wanted something in return, and Auroura was trying to find out what Anne wanted. The mystery was what had kept Auroura at the shelter. She was in Los Angeles searching for Spike, and as soon as she was certain of his current whereabouts, she would move on. This, however, served as a good distraction.  
  
Auroura would not be going back to the shelter tonight. Instead, she would be looking for answers. She knew that Kate would eventually catch up with Drusilla and Darla, unless the two vampires left town, and she wanted to make certain she got to them first. Drusilla mentioned that she had seen Spike recently. If the Slayer hadn't killed him, then Dru would know where to find him. If he had been killed, then she would come up with something else to occupy her time. For now, she needed to find a place where she could rest until nightfall.  
  
***  
  
Once all of the ingredients for the spell had been gathered, Willow, Tara, Giles, Dawn and Beyoncé headed to the graveyard. Xander and Anya were to stay behind and watch the store until closing, and then join the others. Anya waited impatiently for them to leave, and then turned to Xander. Xander was staring off after the others, still concerned for Dawn. He had the distinct impression that something was wrong. That she somehow needed him. Anya walked up to him and kissed him. He returned the kiss, but then pushed her away.  
  
"Not now, Anya. There is something wrong. I don't know what, but I am certain that Dawn is in trouble," he explained.  
  
"No," responded Anya. "She is fine. She has Willow, and Tara. They are very powerful witches. And this new girl, Beyoncé, will not let her get hurt. Besides, they also have Giles. He is old, but he knows how to take care of himself and others."  
  
Xander was still not convinced. There was something that they were overlooking, and he couldn't figure out what it was. Anya went to the cash register, to help a customer, and Xander observed the other customers in the shop. There were several, which Xander found odd. This late on a Monday, the shop was almost always deserted. Besides, how many people in Sunnydale really wanted anything more to do with the supernatural? He decided to meander through the store himself, just to see what these people were so interested in.  
  
A few people were after amulets. Some were just there because they knew that the shop would carry items that were unique, not things that one could find in a department store. He was surprised to discover that only a couple of the customers were truly interested in the magical aspects of the items found in the shop. He was especially interested in a pair of girls. They didn't look to be older than sixteen or seventeen, but the one girl certainly seemed knowledgeable in the ways of magic.  
  
"Oh, this book is great!" said the knowledgeable one. "I have my own copy at home. It has several useful, if only beginner, spells. Oh! In fact, that is the book I used to learn how to do this…" The girl raised her hands and covered her face. When she pulled her hand away, she looked just like the other girl.  
  
"Wow!" exclaimed the friend. "How did you do that?"  
  
"It's called a Glamour," explained the girl. "It tells you how to do it in the book. It's just a superficial illusion, and doesn't last forever, but it would work long enough to freak out your boyfriend!"  
  
Xander had heard enough. He turned away from the girls and hurried over to the cash register. As soon as he could get Anya over far enough that he was certain he wouldn't be heard by anyone other than Anya. He was about to speak, when someone came over and slammed her purchases on the register. Xander sighed as he let go of Anya and she went over to help. When she was done, she hurried over to Xander.  
  
"What is so important?" she asked.  
  
"Have you ever heard of a Glamour?" he hissed.  
  
"Well, yeah. That is one of the most basic spells. Almost anyone can do that spell," answered Anya.  
  
"Okay, now. Think back to the cemetery. What did you see?"  
  
"I saw that girl, Beyoncé," said Anya, with a slight hint of annoyance.  
  
"Right. Sure, whatever. Now, tell me exactly what it was that you saw. When you told me about it in the cemetery."  
  
"I saw a hooded figure, with a tai…oh! I see now! We've got to get to the cemetery and warn everyone!" She turned to the rest of the store. "Excuse me, customers. We are closing. Now! Get out of here!" Then after a moment, "But please come back tomorrow and we'll be glad to take your money!" After the last customer had left the shop, the couple locked up and took off towards the cemetery.  
  
At the cemetery, the others were setting things up. Beyoncé had drawn a series of symbols around the grave. Willow and Tara were lighting candles, and placing them at specific points between the symbols. Giles was getting the rest of the things unpacked, and Dawn was just watching.  
  
"Now," began Beyoncé, "once the spell has been started, we must be very careful to keep going, no matter what. Even a small delay could ruin the entire thing. And, no matter what happens, we can't alter the chant. That is the most important part." She turned to Dawn. "Dawn, I need you to keep a watch, and make sure that no one interferes, okay? Also, there is one more thing I need from you. Come here please."  
  
Dawn stood up and walked over to the new witch. She looked around, making sure that they were the only ones in the area. Beyoncé produced a wand from inside her robe. The wand was made of some reddish wood, and had a gold star on the tip. The star glowed as the witch moved the wand through the air. Dawn was entranced by the wand, and didn't even notice when Beyoncé pulled out the knife.  
  
***  
  
Auroura woke up refreshed. She had been waiting for nightfall, when she knew that Dru would be out. Now that the sun had set, she was ready to make her move. She had to find out where Spike was. Once she had found Spike, everything would be fine. At least, that was what she hoped. She thought of Spike as her brother, and even though Dru had sired both of them, Auroura did not like Dru. She never had.  
  
She had been walking along, looking for some sort of clue to the whereabouts of Dru, when she smelled a familiar scent. She turned wildly as she sought the source of the scent. It wasn't Dru, or even Darla, but it was familiar. After a moment, she dismissed it as nothing, and continued her search. A large warehouse loomed up in front of her as she was searching, and she decided to check it out, even though it wasn't a place where she could see Dru and Darla living. As it turned out, the pair she was tracking had been there. And they hadn't left that long ago, from the looks of things.  
  
She was outside and back on the trail in seconds. She thought about the scene inside the building. Three men had been completely drained. They had taken blood from the fourth, but not enough to kill him. That was what bothered Auroura. She had never seen the girls do anything like that before. If they didn't kill them, they transformed them. The man Auroura had found had just been dropped, like he was an empty glass. That meant trouble.  
  
With the knowledge that some sort of trouble had befallen the pair, Auroura was even more concerned with finding them. She didn't care about their well being, she just wanted to know where Spike was. She knew that Dru was aware of his location. If something should happen to her, then Auroura might never find him. She was thinking about this when she again picked up the familiar scent from before. Now she had enough information to piece together what had happened.  
  
A demon in France had told her a lot of information before she had killed it. It had been a minion for Spike and Dru when they were together. The demon had told her that Angelus, the vampire responsible for siring Dru, had been cursed with a soul, and was now known as Angel. She was also told by the demon that Angel had fallen in love with the Slayer, and had turned his back on his own kind.  
  
Auroura smiled at that thought. Turning her back on vampires was part of her ultimate goal. She was no longer one of them. Sure, she still needed blood to survive, but that was starting to diminish. She had been given blood while held captive, but only enough to keep her alive, and no more. They couldn't have her at full strength, now could they? Slowly, she had become used to it. Perhaps it was her body, or the chemicals, or a combination of the two. Whatever the reason, she was getting to where she needed less and less blood to keep her going.  
  
She was also able to walk in the sun. Something that she still thought was amazing, after having to avoid it for more than a century. And, since they had installed the chip into her brain, she was not able to cause serious pain or injury to humans or animals. But she could still kill vampires and demons. She suddenly laughed out loud as she realized she was very much like a Slayer now. The realization that she was becoming human again was followed by another, darker realization. If she was becoming human, then Spike might not want to have anything to do with her.  
  
The thought came quickly and caused her to fall to her knees. She felt as if she had been hit in the stomach. Spike was the only thing she had that even resembled family. If he didn't want her around, then her life would be empty. Suddenly, the thought of becoming human again wasn't so appealing. She decided to concentrate on locating Spike, and worry about the details later. There was an alley up ahead, and she could smell the fear. Then, she caught the scent of Dru, and she had the strength to stand up and investigate.  
  
"It's Auroura again!" cooed Dru as the younger vampire entered the alley.  
  
"Great, just what we need," sighed Darla.  
  
"I'm not here to fight," said Auroura. Then, as Dru started to brighten, she added: "or join you. I just want some information, and then I'll be out of here. You'll never have to see me again."  
  
"That is the best news I've heard in years," said Darla. Dru just looked at her.  
  
"I want to know where Spike is. That's all. After you tell me, I'll leave Los Angeles and never return," Auroura told them.  
  
"Spike's in Sunnydale!" blurted Darla before Dru could say anything. "Bye! Don't call us, we won't call you!"  
  
"Darla!" hissed Dru as Auroura turned and left. "You frightened her off. She was my baby, and you scared her away!"  
  
"She was bad news, Dru. We're better off without her," concluded Darla. She then turned and exited the alley, going in the opposite direction of Auroura. Dru just stood there, staring.  
  
***  
  
Beyoncé stabbed Dawn in the palm of her hand, and collected the blood in a small bottle. Dawn hardly reacted, and none of the others even saw what had happened. When the bottle was full, Beyoncé touched the cut with her wand. It was healed immediately, without even a trace of scarring. The witch then told Dawn to go back to her seat, and keep watch. The girl did as she was told, and forgot all about the loss of her blood.  
  
Beyoncé took the bottle with Dawn's blood inside it and set it on Buffy's tombstone. When the time was right, the blood must be poured onto the dirt of the grave, but for now, it was out of the way, but easily accessible. She turned to make sure that everyone else was ready. She had already taught them the parts they were supposed to chant. That had been the difficult part. Making certain that they put the accent on the right syllables. She wondered, and not for the first time, why these chants had to be so difficult. They were kept away from the general public, so it wasn't as if they would have been performed all the time.  
  
Finally, it was time to begin the spell. Everyone took his or her place. Beyoncé used her wand to ignite all of the candles simultaneously. She started chanting first. Giles started his a moment later. Willow waited until he reached the right part of his, and then she began hers. Tara had to wait the longest. Her chant was the last to start, and she had to wit until Beyoncé had gone through hers twice. The others had come in before the witch had finished hers the first time. Finally, it was time for Tara to begin her chant.  
  
Meanwhile, Xander and Anya were frantically rushing towards the cemetery. They had encountered Spike, an informed him of the situation, and he had gone ahead. Anya was trying, without much luck, to convince Xander that Dawn was going to be just fine.  
  
"She has Giles, and Willow, and Tara. And, she's been in bad situations before," said Anya.  
  
"That wasn't helpful the first thousand times you said it, so what makes you think it will help now?" demanded Xander.  
  
"Because, now she also has Spike. He made a promise to Buffy. He would die before he would let anything happen to her," explained Anya.  
  
"What if he gets there too late?"  
  
"Then we are also too late, and it isn't going to make a difference." She grabbed Xander and made him turn to face her. "Dawn is going to be okay. I don't think she is going to encounter anything that those with her can't help her get through." They started walking again. "Besides, Willow has been practicing magic more than any of you know. She would probably kill me if I told you, so don't let anyone else know. She has been researching and doing spells in the shop. She knows she a lot of power, and she wants to make sure that she can control it. She is much more powerful than even Tara is aware."  
  
"You're right. What she did to Glory was amazing, but she was using new magic, that she got out of a book just before she attacked," said Xander, still worried. They were in the cemetery, and approaching the grave. They could see the others, and there didn't seem to be anything bad happening, so Xander relaxed a little.  
  
"And what about before she got he book? D'Hoffryn offered her a job as the vengeance demon. That indicates that there is more power there than we know. And, don't forget her other spells. Remember, she was the one who caused Giles to go blind." They were right behind Dawn now, and, as Anya continued, Harmony appeared. "And, Willow was directly responsible for Buffy falling in love with Spike."  
  
That's when it happened. Harmony jumped at Dawn before anyone had a chance to react, and the chanting stopped. All four chanters realized that they had stopped, and continued chanting while Xander and Anya reacted to Harmony. Xander tried to move Dawn out of the way, but it was too late. Harmony crashed into Dawn and knocked her back into Xander and Anya. All four of them fell to the ground. Spike was suddenly beside them.  
  
"What is going on, Harm?" he demanded. Then he stopped and just looked at her. There was blood coming from a wound in her chest. Spike gently moved her off of the others, and knelt beside her. As the chant ended and the others got to their feet, Spike looked from Dawn to Harmony.  
  
"Harm, what is going on?" Spike asked her again.  
  
"Dawn! Is she okay?" demanded Harmony.  
  
"Yes, she is fine. Why do you even care?" Spike questioned.  
  
"She's just a kid. I can kill adults. That is fine, but Dawn is just a kid. And besides, the Slayer is already dead. Dawn is not a threat," explained Harmony.  
  
"But, who did this to you?"  
  
"It was one of Glory's minions," said Xander, as he pointed to a nearby crypt. They all saw the minion frantically trying to reload his gun. Spike jumped up and chased after him. Dawn moved over to Harmony. She knelt beside the vampire and looked at the damage.  
  
"I'm dying," whispered Harmony as the others gathered around her.  
  
"But, you're already dead," said Dawn.  
  
"Oh, yeah," declared Harmony as she sat up. "But it still hurts! Oh! And this was one of my favorite sweaters! Just look at it! Ruined!"  
  
"He got away," said Spike as he appeared behind Giles. The others jumped and turned to face him. He looked around, thinking that they must be looking at something other than him. "What are we looking at?"  
  
"Harmony," began Giles as he shook his head and turned back to face her. "Do you realize that what you did makes you somewhat of a hero? You saved Dawn's life."  
  
"I did?" asked Harmony. "I guess I did. I didn't mean to. I am evil, you know! It's just… She's a kid, you know. And she's already been through so much. So, when I heard that guy talking about killing her, I decided to warn her. I never meant to actually save her." She turned to Dawn. "As reward, you can get me a new sweater, okay? A-a-and tell everyone that I am evil, okay?"  
  
"Right. You are evil," said Dawn as she rolled her eyes. Harmony slowly stood up and wandered off. The others just watched her as she went. Then, Anya turned to Beyoncé.  
  
"So, uh, when exactly is Buffy going to appear?" she asked the witch.  
  
"Oh. I am not certain. She has been dead the longest of all those I have helped resurrect. I think she may not appear for two days. But, I am not certain. I've never tried to resurrect a Slayer before. We'll just have to wait and see," explained Beyoncé. Then, as an afterthought, she added: "And, she won't appear here. She will appear somewhere that holds significant emotional attraction to her. Some place such as her house."  
  
***  
  
Two days later, Auroura managed to make it to Sunnydale. She got off the train and looked around. Having never been to this town before, nothing was familiar to her. She decided that, since it was still daytime, she shouldn't try to look for Spike just yet. She didn't want him knowing her secrets. If he knew, he might not like it; he might not like her. Her top priority right now was finding a place to stay. Once she had established a residence for herself, she would be able to move about without fear of discovery.  
  
She found a phone and made a call. She had gathered a few trusted employees in her time as a vampire, and she needed them to work for her now. Being new to this place, she would need a list of places to avoid, as well as places she might find a comfortable residence. By the time she had hung up, she had found that there was a mansion for sale. It was old, and would need some restoration, but Auroura felt as though she could manage. Besides, a mansion was exactly the type of place that she deserved. She would have to wait about two hours for her contact to arrive, but after that, she would be set up with IDs, cash, and bank accounts. She would then be able to get her place to stay.  
  
Unfortunately, two hours can be an extremely long time, especially when in a place totally new to you. She had very little money with her, but decided to stop and get something to eat. She chuckled to herself as the thought fled. Here she was, a vampire in a strange town, looking for something to eat. The thing was, though, that she was actually after food, and not a person. She had discovered that she liked a large variety of things, from donuts to pizza. It was still early, and she knew that most places would not be serving anything except breakfast foods. That was fine with her. She had been craving some Belgian waffles with strawberries.  
  
She found a diner close to the train station, and went in. She sat at a booth by the windows. The sun still felt a little weird, but it was a sensation that she enjoyed. When the waitress came over to take her order, Auroura asked for her waffles, bacon, and coffee. Coffee was something else that she had discovered she liked. When she was growing up, she had never even heard of half the foods that were now commonplace. Her coffee arrived first, and, as she was sipping it, someone sat down across from her. She did not know him, and wasn't certain that she wanted to change that fact.  
  
"Hey, babe," said the man across from her. "What's a gal like you sitting all alone for? You should have men waiting in line to sit with you."  
  
"And, yet, you are the only one around," declared Auroura as she rolled her eyes.  
  
"Yeah. Funny, that. I guess we were just meant to be together, huh?" asked the stranger.  
  
"Well, if I didn't already think that the Fates were against me, you would definitely change my mind." She smiled sweetly as she said this. The man just kind of looked at her for a few moments, uncertain of what she meant. Finally, she decided it was time to get rid of him. "Actually, though, I think that my friends are going to be here shortly, and, I just think that they might get a little jealous if they discovered that I had a catch as fine as you. We can't have that, now can we?"  
  
"Oh! I uh, I guess not." He was beaming at her compliment. "Well, I guess I can understand that. Not everyone can be so lucky, can they?"  
  
"Of course not. I mean, men like you are so rare," she told him. Then, under her breath, she added, "When compared to blades of grass."  
  
"Huh? What was that?" asked the stranger.  
  
"Oh, nothing. Hey, how about you give me your number, and I will call you later? That way, my friends won't have to know."  
  
"Yeah. That would be great!" The man grabbed a napkin and pulled a pen out of his pocket. He scribbled down his number, winked as he handed it to her, and then left. Auroura took the napkin with a smile and waited until the man was out of sight. Then she crumbled the napkin and tossed it onto the table. She then looked around to see if she could find the waitress. She needed some more coffee. The waitress was bringing out her food, and Auroura waited until she had set everything down before asking for more coffee. The waitress smiled and said she would be right back with it.  
  
Auroura took her time eating, for two reasons. The first reason was because she delighted in each bite, and wanted to make the experience last for as long as possible. The other reason was that she had nothing else to do before her contact got to Sunnydale. It took her over an hour to finish eating, and in that time, she also consumed nine cups of coffee. Suddenly, she had to relieve herself. She looked around for the bathroom, and when she found it, she literally ran for it. As she was exiting the restroom, she thought about how long it had been since she'd had to concern herself with bodily functions.  
  
"No wonder vampires stick with blood," she told herself. She went back to her table and sat down. She stared out into the street, wondering what she would say to Spike when she finally found him. Would he even remember her? They hadn't seen much of each other. He had stuck with Dru, and Auroura refused to do that, even for Spike. She remembered how she had had a crush on him when they had first met. Of course, she had still been young then. Over the years, the crush had changed into respect and admiration. Now, she felt that they could be friends, without any awkwardness.  
  
Finally, she decided that it was time for her to go back to the station and wait for her contact. She stood up, grabbed the bill and headed for the cash register. Then she remembered that she was supposed to leave money for the waitress, so she returned to the table and tossed a few ones onto it. She paid her bill and left the diner, walking carefully along the streets. She couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her. Fortunately, she managed to get to the train station without incident. She found an empty bench and sat down to wait. Soon, there was a commotion nearby. Auroura tried to ignore it, but her curiosity got the better of her and she wandered over to see what was going on.  
  
***  
  
Xander was sitting at the table, watching Dawn and Beyoncé talk. He was amazed at how quickly the two had bonded. They seemed like old friends, instead of a couple of girls who only knew each other for two days. Anya was working, and since the place was busy, he figured she would be unavailable for quite some time. He decided that he would look around again, and maybe even help a customer or two himself. He walked over to a bookshelf where a girl was checking out several books.  
  
"Can I help you?" asked Xander. The girl looked up at him, and blushed.  
  
"I-I am looking for a book that my friend recommended. But, I can't remember the name of it," she said apologetically.  
  
"Well, don't worry. I am sure I can help you find it. What do you remember about it?" he inquired.  
  
"Uh…" She hesitated, as if she was embarrassed. "It contained a spell that I was wanting to try." She lifted her hand to her face, and turned away. Xander could see that she was blushing.  
  
"It's okay," he reassured her. "We get people in here wanting to try spells all the time. No big deal. However, you are going to have to be a little more specific. Just exactly which spell are you looking for? Love spells?" He reached up and grabbed a book off the shelf. It was a book he was familiar with. He had seen Willow using it several times.  
  
"N-not exactly," stammered the girl. "I-I was looking for…a s-spell to change my appearance, and, and, and she said it w-was called a G-Glamour."  
  
As she said the last word, Xander dropped the book he was holding. He looked down at it, and it was open to the Glamour spell. The girl with whom he had been speaking looked down and, seeing that it was open to the spell she wanted, she bent down and picked up the book. She told him thank you, but Xander didn't hear her. He was staring at Beyoncé. He had completely forgotten about the Glamour spell.  
  
Suddenly, he was aware that there was someone standing next to him. He tried to turn away from the young witch, but found himself unable to do so. There was more to her than she was letting on, and he was certain of it. The problem was, she had become so close to Dawn that he was afraid to say anything. What if she turned out to be evil? Would Dawn understand it if her new friend was taken from her? Xander wondered if the spell they had cast was actually to bring Buffy back. It had been two days, and no one had seen or heard from her. Perhaps it was all a hoax.  
  
"Xander!" Anya exclaimed. She was snapping her fingers in front of his face. He was finally able to turn away from Beyoncé. He looked at Anya. She spoke to him again. "What's wrong?"  
  
"I'm not sure. I was just remembering something. The other night, when we went to the cemetery, it was because we thought Dawn might be in trouble, right?"  
  
"Yes," agreed Anya. "And she was. If Harmony hadn't been there, Dawn would have died."  
  
"I know. That's why I forgot."  
  
"Forgot what? Xander, you aren't making any sense."  
  
"I forgot about the Glamour."  
  
"The Glamour? Oh! You think that…"  
  
"Yes, I do. But I can't ask her about it with Dawn around. The two of them have become so close."  
  
"Well, what are you going to do, then?"  
  
"I don't know, yet. But we have to do something soon. If Beyoncé is evil, then, as much as it might hurt Dawn, she has to be dealt with. I don't know what her plans might be. I am going to have a talk with Giles." He reached out and caressed Anya's cheek. The look of worry on her face lessened. Xander turned away and went to the basement, where Giles had been all day, trying to organize the place.  
  
"Giles, I need to ask you something," began Xander.  
  
"Yes? What is it?"  
  
"I was wondering if you have checked with the Council to verify Beyoncé's story."  
  
"What are you talking about?" asked Giles.  
  
"I think that there is more to that girl than she is letting on," explained Xander.  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"I am not certain, which is why I was hoping you had contacted the Council. I would just feel better about her being here if I was certain that the Council had, indeed, sent her. I know it sounds crazy, but I have this feeling that she keeping something from us."  
  
"And, you have something on which you are basing this?" inquired Giles.  
  
"Uh…sort of. You see, the day she showed up, Anya and I encountered her, or someone in a robe just like hers, at the cemetery. Then, Anya saw that same person, or creature, when we were about to enter the courthouse. We tried to follow them, and encountered Beyoncé."  
  
"Okay. But that still doesn't explain anything."  
  
"The figure Anya saw in the cemetery had a tail. That is what she saw when we were going to the court, and that is what we went after. Beyoncé doesn't have a tail, I know. In fact, I was the one trying to convince Anya that she was human. Now, however, I am not so sure."  
  
"Because of a tail that Anya thinks she saw?" asked Giles. He was giving Xander a look that said he didn't believe. He took off his glasses and rubbed his temples. "Listen, Xander. I am not too thrilled with the idea of contacting the Council. From what I have heard, there is no cause for me to do so."  
  
"The Glamour!" Xander blurted.  
  
"What?"  
  
"The Glamour. It's a spell."  
  
"I know that. But, what does it have to do with anything?"  
  
"Maybe nothing, but maybe everything. I can't believe it is just a coincidence."  
  
"Can't believe that what is just a coincidence? Xander, you aren't making any sense."  
  
"I'm sorry. I'll start over. After we brought Beyoncé back to the shop, Anya went out to deal with customers. Beyoncé and I were left in the back room. She pulled out this list and started spouting off details that made me think she was definitely from the council. I mean, she knew you were Buffy's Watcher, and who Buffy was, and that Willow and Tara were witches, and, and that Anya was an ex-demon. She even knew what type of demon."  
  
"Okay, still not making the connection to evil," stated Giles.  
  
"I didn't either, then. It was later. You had all left to go to the cemetery. Anya and I were left to mind the store. I had this nagging feeling that something bad was going to happen to Dawn. Anya assured me that she was going to be okay, since you and Willow and Tara were with her. I let it go. I was wandering around the shop, waiting for it to close, when I overheard two girls talking about spells. The one girl said that the other should but a book because it contained several basic spells. Then, the girl moved her hands in front of her face, and she looked exactly like the other girl. She said the spell was a called a Glamour."  
  
"Yes, I am familiar with the spell."  
  
"That is when I remembered Anya talking about the tail. I wouldn't have thought anything about it if I had just heard the girls talking, but when I saw her change, I thought about Beyoncé. We already established that she was a powerful witch, and I was certain that we had to get to the cemetery as fast as possible. When we got there, I remained cautious, until after Harmony left, and then I just sort of forgot about it."  
  
"Well, that makes sense. I mean, it was really weird that Harmony showed up like she did, but she did save Dawn's life. That must have been the trouble that you mentioned."  
  
"That's what I thought, too. Until just a few minutes ago." Giles looked at him. "I was trying to help a customer. She said she was looking for a book, but didn't know the title. She was blushing, so I assumed that she was after a love spell. I grabbed a book off the shelf and was leafing through it, to find the love spell, when she said that she wasn't after the love spell."  
  
"She was after the Glamour? Right? Well, that is not surprising. A lot of witches start dabbling in magic because of that very spell. It is a strange coincidence, but still," rationalized Giles.  
  
"Okay. I would have been willing to dismiss it as a coincidence, too, except that the mention of the word caused me to drop the book. I felt like I had been holding fire. When I looked down, the book was open to the Glamour spell. I turned immediately and looked at Beyoncé. I was unable to turn away for several minutes, as Anya can tell you. I am sorry, Giles, but I just can't believe that all of it was just coincidence."  
  
"You're right. There is just too much there for it to be a coincidence. I'll call the Council. Let's go upstairs."  
  
"There's one more thing, Giles."  
  
"What now?"  
  
"It's Dawn. She has become very close to Beyoncé, and I am worried about how she might react if she finds out that the girl is evil. She has had to deal with so much already. I am not certain she could handle this."  
  
"You're right. Well, first thing's first. We'll find out if the Council really sent her. Then, we can go from there." He turned and headed upstairs, then paused. "Xander, what if the Council really did send her? What then?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, you yourself said that it couldn't be a coincidence that the Glamour spell kept coming up. There is definitely something to that. If the Council didn't send her, then we know she is up to something. However, if the Council did send her, what is the explanation for the spell?"  
  
"I-I never thought about that. If the Council did send her, then you could ask them about it, couldn't you?"  
  
"I could ask. That doesn't mean I will get an answer. You know that."  
  
"Well, we have to try. For Dawn's sake."  
  
Giles nodded and started back up the stairs. Xander walked up the stairs behind him, hoping that the Council could answer the questions that were filling his mind. He didn't hold out much hope.  
  
***  
  
Just as she thought, the commotion was her contact. She didn't understand why they always called attention to themselves. She was trying to remain anonymous, and here they were, making sure everyone knew they were around! Auroura walked over and helped the man stand up. She looked at everyone standing around, and told all of them to move along. She brushed off the man in front of her, and then led him off to the side. Once they were out of the middle of the station, she turned to the man and spoke.  
  
"What was that all about?" she demanded.  
  
"It wasn't my fault, honest!" declared the man.  
  
"I never said it was. I asked what was going on. I don't like having so much attention drawn to me, or those who work for me!" She saw the man cringe, and knew he was frightened of her. The realization caused her to calm down. "I am sorry for the outburst, but I am having a really bad day. Did you bring the things I requested?"  
  
"Uh…yes. They are right here," said the man as he handed her a small package.  
  
"Good. Thank you, uh…what is your name?" asked the vampire.  
  
"I-I-I am Travis," he said as he tried to back away.  
  
"Okay. Good. Thank you, Travis. You are most helpful. I want you to go with me now, I have another task I need for you to perform."  
  
"Y-y-yes, ma'am," stammered Travis.  
  
"Travis, we are friends, you don't have to call me ma'am. I am Auroura. Now, what I need for you to do now is purchase some property for me. As far as anyone here is concerned, I am only sixteen years old, and therefore, not old enough to purchase a mansion. You are to act as the executor of my father's will, and the one responsible for my trust fund, okay?"  
  
"Yes, ma—uh, Auroura."  
  
"Good, now let's go. I have lots to get done. I went and looked at the mansion earlier. It will have to be almost completely renovated. And, it will definitely have to have a few spells cast upon it as soon as possible. I wouldn't want any, uh, past occupants showing up unexpectedly. After that, I suppose you will be in a hurry to get back to…uh, wherever?"  
  
"Um, no offense meant, but, yeah!"  
  
"None taken. And, you have a right to be scared of me. I have done things that you could not even begin to imagine. And, you have no idea when I might suddenly grow hungry." She smiled as his eyes widened. "Don't worry, Travis. I have much need for you. I never get rid of those who do their job. If I did, I wouldn't be able to do much of anything, now would I?"  
  
"I suppose not. Thanks for the pep talk."  
  
"No problem. Besides, I can't have everyone thinking that you are scared of me, now can I? That just wouldn't look right. And, I need as little attention drawn to me as possible. I am going to have a hard enough time explaining why I am not in school."  
  
"Because you have already graduated. Last year, in fact. Your diploma is in the package." He looked at her, and when she smiled, he continued. "Yeah, Ed thought you would like that."  
  
"Ed? He's still around? He's gotta be, what? Like, eighty?"  
  
"Auroura, he's only fifty-five!"  
  
"What? No way! He has been in my employ for…well, a lot of years now. I can't believe he is only fifty-five! He is one of the few who has seen me."  
  
"Really? Not everyone has?"  
  
"No. They haven't. I don't usually require help like this. I usually just have the contact drop things off, so I can get them when it is convenient. The only reason you are here is because of the real estate purchase. Usually, I just get hotels. But, I am planning on staying in Sunnydale for a while, and I will need someplace to stay."  
  
"Oh. I guess I should consider myself lucky, then?"  
  
"Or unlucky, depending upon how you handle your end of the bargain. As long as you make things believable, and I get my mansion, you will be leaving here just as healthy as you are right now. Mess things up, and I don't think you will be leaving at all."  
  
"Uh…right. I will do my best."  
  
"That's all I ask. You got this job because you are good at some sort of skill. I let Ron handle all of the employees. If he sent you, it's because he knows you can handle the task at hand. If he trusts you that much, then so do I. After all, if you mess up, he knows he will be the next one to go. I do not tolerate insubordination."  
  
"Uh…yes. I don't blame you."  
  
With that, Auroura considered the conversation over. She led Travis out of the station and into the town. She found the real estate office, and as they entered, she felt a chill go down her back. She paused in the doorway and looked around. She saw nothing that she recognized, and stepped into the office. The air conditioning felt good, after being in the hot afternoon sun. She was aware that someone was staring at her. She turned around, and almost screamed when she noticed the guy from the diner staring at her. He winked at her. She clutched Travis's arm and looked away. Fortunately, the agent was ready for them to enter the office.  
  
Once in the office, Auroura played the part of a spoiled, rich heiress. Travis followed her lead, and in no time, they had the paperwork in front of them. Travis said that the mansion was to go into Auroura's name, and the agent quickly agreed. The agent wanted the deal to go through, since they were offering more than what was being asked. As soon as the paperwork was completed, Travis asked the agent when his charge would be able to move in. The agent said that there was no time like the present, and he offered to have a car take them to the property.  
  
They accepted the offer, and as the car pulled away from the mansion, Auroura rushed up to the front doors. She hurriedly unlocked them and went inside. She froze immediately. She was certain that she had been there before. She dismissed it as nothing and searched the house. Travis tagged along behind her, too afraid to leave without her permission. He was in awe of the mansion. It was one of the largest places he had ever been in. He didn't see how she would be able to manage a place this size, but there was no way he was going to voice his opinion.  
  
Finally, after she had him make several lists of things that needed to be done, she told him he could leave. By that time, he wasn't sure that he wanted to. He couldn't believe that she was a vicious killer. She was so…well, human. He knew that she was older than sixteen. That much was obvious to him from the start. But he still found it hard to believe that she would willingly take a human life. She was just so nice to everyone she met, and he had yet to see any evidence of the evil in her. He asked her if she was certain that she would be okay, and after she assured him she would, he finally left.  
  
***  
  
Giles hung up the phone after talking to the Council. He set his glasses on the table in front of him and rubbed his temples. Although he was still a member of the Council, they acted as if he was an outsider. He supposed that it was not too far from the truth. After all, if it hadn't been for Buffy, he would no longer be part of the Council. Now that she was dead, he was in a bit of a jam. He had been sent here for Buffy. He'd been fired because he cared too much for Buffy. At least, that is what the Council had said. Then, Buffy got him re-hired. Now that she was gone, he supposed that the Council was at a loss as to what they should do about him.  
  
He stood up and headed out of the small office. Anya was working the cash register, taking care of a customer. Xander was in the corner, watching Dawn and Beyoncé, who were sitting at the table. The girls were talking about what they planned to do when the weekend came. Giles walked past them and motioned for Xander to follow. Once they were in the back room, Giles turned to Xander and spoke.  
  
"The Council said that they did indeed send her, and that she was free to do as she pleased, once Buffy was back. They said that since she is such a powerful witch, that she might just as well have used Glamour. That was not their concern. She was hired to perform a specific task. Now that the task has been completed, they don't care what happens to her. Of course, she will not be paid until Buffy actually shows up."  
  
"So, we really don't know that much more about her. For all we know, she is still here to cause problems. She could be a danger, and the Council wouldn't care, because Dawn is not their concern," Xander said.  
  
"Basically. The Council is concerned with the return of Buffy, for whatever reason, and the rest of us, including myself, are expendable. I think the best course of action right now would be to separate the girls and speak to each one individually."  
  
"Both of them? Why?"  
  
"Dawn may have seen or heard something that would be helpful. Don't worry, I will be careful. She won't know what is going on."  
  
"Okay. But, how do we get them separated?"  
  
"Um, I was leaving that up to you."  
  
Xander sighed and looked at Giles. Giles shrugged his shoulders and looked away. Xander thought for a moment about how to get the girls in separate rooms. It would be difficult, since Dawn had become so attached to the new girl. Giles turned and headed back into the store.  
  
"I'm sure you'll think of something," Giles assured him. Then he was gone.  
  
Xander thought for a moment longer, and then headed out the back. He had an idea, but wasn't sure that it would work. He would have to get help from Spike, and he wasn't certain that he liked that idea. Realizing that he had no choice, he headed for the cemetery.  
  
***  
  
Blinding blue light filled the room. It was gone a second later. Buffy stood in the room, completely naked. She looked around, uncertain what was going on. Finally, she glanced down at herself, and gasped. She grabbed the sheet off of a chair and wrapped it around herself. She didn't know where she was. Cautiously, she walked to the door. She carefully opened it a crack and glanced out into the hall. Suddenly, she knew where she was. The problem was, she still had no idea why she was there. Or, more important, she had no idea where her clothes were. She closed the door and turned to the window. It had been repaired since the last time she was there. She thought about the room she was standing in.  
  
It was the one room she would never forget. So much had happened there. She felt warm, as if she was being held. She closed her eyes and tried to picture the room the way it was, before the window was fixed. Before it had been transformed into what appeared to be a sitting room, it had been another, more intimate room. It had been a bedroom. And not just any bedroom, either. It had been Angel's bedroom. Of course, he had been Angelus when he acquired the mansion, but, she still remembered everything that led to him becoming Angelus. They had slept together, and, as she lost her virginity, he lost his soul.  
  
And she'd had to kill him. A tear streaked down her face as the memories came flooding back. She'd killed him, and it had been the worst thing she'd ever had to do. When he came back, she thought it was because of their love. Later, she had found out that it was just another cruel twist of Fate. He had been sent back because he had a higher calling, and, no matter how much they tried to make their relationship work, they were totally unable to do so.  
  
However, she also remembered finding him in the woods, bringing him back here, and nursing him back to health, only to have Xander see them kissing, and run to Giles. After that, Buffy had had to fight even harder to help him. It was in this mansion that Buffy had cut off the arm of an ex- Watcher, fought her inner desires and impulses every time they were together, and ultimately been willing to sacrifice everything to save him after Faith had poisoned him. She realized that she would always be connected to this place through her emotions and memories.  
  
Suddenly, she felt a strange sense of déjà vu. She was hit with the memories so hard, and so quickly, that she fell onto the chair from which she had taken the sheet. It wasn't something that she had known. It was a memory of a time that had been erased. She had gone to Los Angeles, and Angel had become human. They had spent one glorious night together, as the lovers that they had each believed they were meant to be. However, Fate wasn't done with them yet. Angel knew that there would be problems, and that both he and Buffy would die sooner because of his humanity. He went to the Oracles and had them turn time back one day, and erased their time together.  
  
She realized that she should not ever be able to remember that. She tried to remember how she had gotten there. The last thing she could remember was going up to the top of a tower-like structure for something. It had to do with her family and friends, but the memories were too jumbled and crowded for her to be able to make sense of them.  
  
The door opened, and a female walked into the room. When she saw Buffy, she gasped and backed against the door. Buffy looked at her, without recognition. She was certain that she had never seen this girl before. The girl appeared to be a teenager, not much older than Dawn, but she moved and acted like someone much older. The thought of Dawn made something click inside her head, and some of her memories cleared.  
  
Dawn had been kidnapped by Glory, and tied at the top of the tower to be sacrificed in a ritual that would collapse the walls between all dimensions. It was the only way that Glory could return to her home. Buffy had gotten to the top of the tower and saved Dawn, but… There was more, but those memories still wouldn't come. Meanwhile, she had other things to deal with.  
  
"Wh-who are you?" asked the girl.  
  
"I am Buffy Summers. I… I am a little embarrassed. I can't seem to remember how I got here. Or, uh, where my clothes are."  
  
"I don't know you. You shouldn't be here," said the girl. There was panic in her voice. Buffy assumed that it was because she had caught a stranger in her house, but the truth was, Auroura knew very well that Buffy Summers was a Slayer.  
  
"Um, yeah. Well, the thing is, like I said, I don't even know how I got here." She looked at the panic in the girl's eyes. "I'll leave now," she added. The girl slowly moved away form the door and let Buffy pass. As Buffy walked to the door, the girl stepped into the sunlight and watched. Buffy noticed that the girl seemed to be afraid that she, the girl with a sheet wrapped around her, might attack.  
  
Buffy left the room. She headed down the hall and to the front door. It felt weird. There was something more here than she was able to see. Something that, although it didn't feel evil, felt wrong, somehow. The front door loomed in front of her. She glanced back to see the girl peeking at her from behind the door. Buffy grabbed the doorknob to leave. As her hand closed around it, she felt that she had been given a mild shock. She quickly pulled her hand back and looked at it. Then she examined the door. There didn't appear to be anything wrong. She grabbed the knob again, and, though she again felt the shock, she twisted and pulled anyway. The door opened, spilling bright light into the room.  
  
Buffy looked down at her shadow. It was glowing! She let go of the door and just stood there, staring at her shadow. The girl started moving cautiously up the hallway. She would take a few steps, and then stop, as if trying to determine whether or not to continue. The whole time the girl was moving up the hall, Buffy just stood there, staring at her shadow. It was not only glowing, but also it refused to move when Buffy did. The girl finally made it to the entryway.  
  
"Are you okay?" asked the girl.  
  
"I don't think so," replied Buffy.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"That," replied Buffy as she pointed at her shadow. Again, it refused to move, although Buffy was in a different position. Buffy looked at her arm. The light from outside was touching it, but her shadow was frozen. Auroura kept looking from the shadow to Buffy, and back again.  
  
***  
  
Dawn was sitting at the table, lazily scanning the book in front of her. She had been trying to find something that would catch her interest, but so far, nothing had. She'd read about demons, vampires, werewolves, and witches, but none of it seemed to interest her. In fact, she was on the verge of falling asleep. Suddenly, she jumped, sat bolt upright, and knocked the stack of books onto the floor. Everyone turned to look at her.  
  
"She's here!" exclaimed Dawn. "Buffy's back! I can feel it!"  
  
"She's right," confirmed Beyoncé. "I am picking up her aura. Buffy is back in Sunnydale. We need to find her, before something bad happens."  
  
"Something bad?" asked Xander.  
  
"When she appeared, she was undoubtedly naked," explained Beyoncé. "And, she will not remember how she got to wherever she is. She will be able to vaguely remember her final moments, but won't be able to piece together that she died. That she has been dead for weeks. She'll need help."  
  
"Well, what are we waiting for?" asked Dawn as she jumped to her feet and headed to the door. "We have to find her!"  
  
"Of course, Dawn," stated Giles. "But, someone has to stay here, and we have no idea where to begin looking."  
  
"We'll start at the house, of course," reasoned Dawn. "That place is sure to have some emotional attachment for her. And, then, after that, if she isn't there, we'll check every other place in Sunnydale until we find her!"  
  
"Anya and I can stay here, if you'd like, Giles. We can keep the shop open, and kind of act like a communication point. It will be best if you split up. You and Dawn can go to her house and start there. I'll call Willow and Tara and have them start at the dorm and work there way towards the house," said Xander.  
  
"What about her?" asked Dawn as she pointed to her new friend.  
  
"Uh, she can stay here for a few minutes, and then, when we think of some other place that Buffy might be, she and I can go check it out while Anya stays here."  
  
Everyone agreed to the plan, and after Giles took Dawn out of the shop, Xander went straight over to the phone and called Willow. He told her what was going on, and she agreed to search the area. After all of that was done, he went over to the table and sat across from Beyoncé. He was trying to come up with the words to ask the young witch what was going on when she turned to him and spoke.  
  
"You wanted me separated from Dawn for a reason, didn't you? And it has nothing to do with finding the Slayer. I can't tell exactly what it is, but I am not stupid. You have been acting strangely around me from the beginning, and recently, Giles has been acting the same way. Go ahead, tell me what the problem is."  
  
"Uh… Well, the fact is, the day you first appeared here in Sunnydale, Anya saw you at the cemetery," explained Xander.  
  
"Yes, I had to find the grave, to be certain I was in the right place. So what?"  
  
"She, uh…"  
  
"I saw your tail," interrupted Anya. "I told Xander about it, but he passed it off as nothing until after you had taken Dawn and the others to the cemetery. Then, he had the feeling that Dawn was in danger, and he overheard the girls talking about their Glamours, and we rushed over there to help, and Harmony saved Dawn from getting shot, so he forgot about it again until the book fell open to the Glamour spell and he went and told Giles, who called the Council and found out that they don't care about the safety of anyone except Buffy, so now we wanna know what's up with you and if you are going to try to harm any of us, especially Dawn." She looked at Xander, smiling. "Isn't that about right?"  
  
"Yes, Anya," sighed Xander.  
  
Beyoncé looked uncomfortable for a few moments, and said nothing. Xander and Anya were uncertain what they should do. They had no idea what would happen next. A customer entered the shop, and Anya went back over to the cash register. Xander watched her go. When he turned back to Beyoncé, he saw that she had tears in her eyes. Her lower lip was quivering, and she looked like she was about to cry. Xander didn't know what to do. Could he believe what he was seeing, or was this all a trick? He looked around for help, but Anya was busy. There was no one there to help him. Beyoncé started crying.  
  
***  
  
Buffy staggered backwards, bumping against the wall. She kept staring at her shadow, which still didn't move. Auroura looked at the shadow again. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Buffy was completely out of the doorway, and her shadow was still in the same place that it had been when she opened the door. Buffy slowly sank to the floor, unable to take her eyes off of her shadow. She was shaking. As she hit the floor, the memories came flooding into her mind.  
  
She thought of Willow casting a spell that made her fall in love with, and want to marry, Spike. She remembered turning to Spike when she was in trouble, and needed someone to protect Dawn. Spike had told her that he loved her, and she had been cruel. Yet, through it all, Spike had continued to help her, continued to look after her and her family. Tears rolled down her face as she thought of how he had let Glory torture him in order to keep her from learning the truth about Dawn. Spike was the one who showed her the truth about Riley, too. He had taken her to the vampire den when Riley was selling his blood.  
  
She realized that Spike was also responsible for opening her eyes about Angel. When he first returned to Sunnydale, he had told her that she and Angel weren't friends; that they never could be. She still loved Angel, and, even though that love was returned, there was no way that the two of them could make it work out. Angel had to leave town, and Buffy knew that, even though she had spent time with him as a human, their relationship was over.  
  
She remembered how Spike was willing to sacrifice himself to help Dawn, the night she died. Buffy stopped crying and looked down at herself. When she looked back at the doorway, the shadow was gone. The young lady who had found her in the house was kneeling beside her, asking her if she was okay. Buffy stared at her.  
  
"Are you okay? Do you need anything?" asked the girl.  
  
"I… Could you possibly get me a drink?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Uh…" The girl looked around, as if considering what she had gotten herself into.  
  
"Okay. I suppose that would be okay." She stood up and walked away from Buffy. Once she was out of sight, Buffy stood up and walked back to the room in which she had appeared.  
  
"What's going on here? Am I dead?" she asked the empty room. She looked around for something that would help her make sense of things. Everything was so different from what she remembered. Of course, the place had been abandoned when Angel had moved in, and he wasn't much of a decorator. Now, it was obviously inhabited by the girl and her family.  
  
"Spike? Are you around?" she asked. She heard a glass fall to the floor outside the room. She moved to the doorway and looked into the hall. The girl was standing there, with a shocked expression on her face.  
  
"Y-you know Spike?" asked the girl.  
  
"Uh… Yeah. I know Spike. At least, I know a Spike."  
  
"T-tall, bleached hair? Black coat and boots?"  
  
"That's him. You know him too?"  
  
"I've met him. He… He's a…" began the girl.  
  
"Vampire. I know. I am very familiar with vampires. How exactly do you know him?" questioned the Slayer.  
  
"Uh… I met him a while ago. He didn't hurt me, if that's what you mean."  
  
"Yeah, I know. He doesn't hurt people anymore. He… He helps them now. At least, he used to. I hope that part hasn't changed."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean, the last time I saw him, he was… uh, one of the good guys, I guess you could say. But now, I don't know," explained Buffy.  
  
"Oh. How long has it been since you saw him?"  
  
"That's the weird part. I don't know. I feel… weird. I can't remember much of anything from the last few days or so. Wait a minute! What am I doing? I am telling you some things you shouldn't know about, and I don't even know your name!"  
  
"Oh. I am Auroura. I am new to Sunnydale. I used money from a trust fund to purchase this mansion, and was hoping to make a life for myself here."  
  
"Well, Auroura, I have some advice for you. Sunnydale is a bad place for a young girl to try to make a life for herself. I should know. I have been here for a while now, and I haven't had much peace. I would hate for something bad to happen to you. If you're smart, you'll get out of town while you still can."  
  
"Thanks for the advice, Buffy, but I think I can handle myself. I mean, I may appear to be young, but I am very… uh, mature for my age. Besides, I am not alone. I mean, I live here by myself, but I have connections, and… Sorry. I tend to ramble sometimes."  
  
"Well, just don't say I didn't warn you. If you have met Spike, then you know that vampires are real. I just want to add that vampires are not the only things that are real, and that the other things are much worse."  
  
"Thanks for the concern, but like I said, I can take care of myself."  
  
"You? You can't be more than seventeen years old!"  
  
"And you can't be more than twenty! You said you've been here for a while. You are still alive."  
  
Buffy started to laugh, but caught herself. It sounded rather choked, but she didn't laugh. She studied the girl in front of her. Somehow, she believed that this teen could indeed take care of herself.  
  
"Yeah. I suppose you have a point there. Of course, I have a family, and friends that help me. You say you have connections. Well, for your sake, I hope they are pretty good at whatever they do. Still, if I were you, I'd leave town."  
  
"But, I just bought this place! I can't just sell it! They told me I was crazy to buy it! They told me I wouldn't be able to make here. That I wouldn't last a week. I can't give in to them now! I just can't! They will always believe that I am weak! I refuse to let that happen!"  
  
"Okay, okay. Calm down. It was just a suggestion. I know what you mean about proving yourself, too. I just hope it turns out better for you than it has for me." She looked down at herself, still wearing the sheet. "Uh, I better go. I'll return your sheet as soon as I get some real clothes, okay? I need to go."  
  
"Uh… Sure. You can drop the sheet off anytime. If I am not here, just leave it on the front porch." She walked Buffy to the door. As Buffy left, she added: "And, Buffy, thanks for caring."  
  
***  
  
Dawn and Giles searched the house but found no evidence that Buffy had been there. Dawn tried to think of places that might hold significant emotional attachments for Buffy. She had been thinking about it for a while now, using herself as an example. She discovered that she had emotional attachments to some of the strangest places, like the carousel, for example. It meant something to Dawn because of her birthday being celebrated there. However, she knew that is didn't mean much of anything to Buffy.  
  
"Uh, Dawn…" began Giles. Dawn looked up at him, and could tell right away that something was wrong. She stood up and looked around, expecting to see something. Nothing had changed. She stared up at Giles, waiting. He just stared out the window for a few moments, and then stared in her direction. Dawn could tell that he was not actually looking at her, just towards her.  
  
"Dawn, I would like to talk to you about your new friend, Beyoncé."  
  
"Why? What is wrong?"  
  
"Wrong? I didn't say that anything was wrong. I just wanted to talk."  
  
"Oh, please, Giles. I can tell by the way you are looking at me, or rather, the way you are not looking at me, that something is wrong."  
  
"Well, it's just that your friend was sent here to bring Buffy back. Since that is done, she will most likely be moving on. I know that you have gotten really close to her the last couple of days, and…"  
  
"Oh, that. It's okay Giles."  
  
"Really? I mean, oh. Okay. You are okay, then?"  
  
"Yeah, I am fine. Especially since Buffy is back."  
  
"And you don't mind that Beyoncé is going to be leaving soon?"  
  
"Oh, she's not leaving. She's decided to stay in Sunnydale on a permanent basis."  
  
"What?" exclaimed Giles. He was suddenly staring into Dawn's eyes. This gave her a fright, and she took a step back. Giles saw the fear in her eyes, and looked down. "Sorry, Dawn. I didn't mean to scare you."  
  
"But…y-you don't want her to stay."  
  
"I never said that."  
  
"You didn't have to! The way you reacted just now…I am not stupid, Giles!"  
  
"Of course not. No one thinks that you are. It's just…"  
  
"Just what? What are you not telling me? Why don't you like her?"  
  
"I never said that I didn't like her. It's just… Some things just don't add up about her, is all."  
  
"Like what? The fact that she is different from everyone else in Sunnydale? That I like her? What?"  
  
"I don't know exactly. That is why I wanted to talk about it. I was hoping that you might be able to help me figure it out."  
  
"Figure what out? I don't understand it. I know that you and Xander don't like her. I can see it when you look at her. And Xander. He won't look at her, but is always watching me when I am around her." Dawn suddenly had a terrible thought. Giles could see the thoughts forming in her mind, because they were reflected in her eyes. She looked him straight in the eyes and asked: "What do you think she is going to do to me?"  
  
***  
  
Willow and Tara left their room and quickly searched the campus. It was harder than they expected, since it was just the two of them, looking for a single girl. They knew from what Xander had told them that Buffy could now be anywhere, since she would have appeared somewhere with no recollection of how she got there. That meant that she would try to find someone who could help her. At least, that is what they hoped would happen. They couldn't be sure, so they had checked everywhere they could think of; all of the classes and dorms, the woods, and every building on campus.  
  
Tara suggested that they go to the roof and check the campus one last time, from overhead, before heading towards Buffy's home. Willow was a bit reluctant, but decided that Tara's idea was actually a very good one. The two of them would be able to see a lot more of the campus without actually splitting up. Once they were on the roof, each girl took one side and began searching. Willow searched the half of the campus that she could see. Buffy was nowhere to be seen. She was turning to see Tara when she spotted the place where the two of them had been stargazing the night that the meteor had crashed. She was staring at it when Tara spoke to her.  
  
"Honey? What is it? Do you see her?" She turned to look in the direction Willow was facing. Willow reached out and grabbed her arm.  
  
"I think I know where Buffy might be. Come on. We have to hurry." Willow pulled Tara along behind her as she left the roof. She had to get to the far side of Sunnydale, and there was no time to waste.  
  
"W-where are we going?" asked Tara, surprised at being pulled along so forcefully.  
  
"We have to get to the mansion where Angel used to live."  
  
"You really think that is where she is?"  
  
"Yes. I believe it is where she would be. She still visited it, even after Angel left, because it helped remind her of him. That is a serious emotional attachment, don't you think?" She let go of Tara, but kept moving.  
  
"Definitely. But, what made you think of it?"  
  
"You."  
  
"Me? How?"  
  
"Well, not you, exactly, but memories of the places I have been the one I love. It made me think of Buffy's attachment to the mansion."  
  
"Oh. Okay. I guess that makes sense. Should we let the others know?"  
  
Willow stopped. She turned and looked at Tara. She wasn't sure what to do. She knew she should tell the others, but, at the same time, she wanted to hurry and see Buffy again. Tara seemed to sense her indecision.  
  
"You go to the mansion. I'll call the magic shop and let the others know, and I will see you when you get back. Now, go. Hurry."  
  
"Thanks!" She kissed Tara on the cheek and then took off again. Tara went to the phone and called the magic shop.  
  
***  
  
Xander had no idea what to do now. Beyoncé was crying, and Anya was just looking at him, like he was supposed to do something. He had never been in this situation before, and had no knowledge of how to handle such a situation. The phone rang, and Anya hurried off to answer it. Xander reached out and put his hand on Beyoncé's shoulder. He could feel her body throbbing as she cried.  
  
"Um… It's okay. Don't cry. Please." It didn't help. The girl just started crying harder. She looked around, but didn't speak. Xander wished that Giles were there. At least then there would be someone else around, even if he didn't know what to do, either. He looked over at Anya, who was nodding her head and talking on the phone. No help there.  
  
"Uh… I don't know what to do. Please stop crying. I only wanted to find out some things about you. I didn't mean to make you cry. Please stop."  
  
The girl started to calm down, and Xander started to remove his hand from her shoulder. As he did, she started crying again, so he put it back. He was uncomfortable doing this, but didn't know of anything else that he could do. With Anya on the phone, she couldn't do anything to help, so it was up to him.  
  
***  
  
"Dawn," began Giles. "We don't know that she is going to do anything to you. We are just concerned. That is all. We discovered that she is not exactly what she appears, and so, we have to be cautious."  
  
"So, why does that mean anything to me? She has never done anything to harm me! She has been the best friend I ever had! She has helped me in ways none of you ever could!"  
  
"I know that, Dawn. That is why I have kept my distance. The thing is, now that Buffy is back, we don't know if that is going to change. I talked to the Council, and they said that they did send her, but that once she brought Buffy back, she was of no concern to them, unless they harmed her. They also told me that the rest of us were expendable. Even me. So, I just want to make sure that you are going to remain safe. That is all."  
  
Dawn was starting to calm down. She thought about everything that had happened since she found out she was the Key. People had treated her differently, and some had even betrayed her. That was one thing she hadn't thought about since Buffy had died. The fact that, through everything, Buffy's friends had taken care of her; sheltered her. But, there were still others out there who wouldn't be so nice. Ben had started out nice, and then turned out to be more of a monster than Glory.  
  
"All right. I understand. We can confront her when we find…Buffy!" exclaimed Dawn as her sister entered the house.  
  
"Buffy? What…" said Giles. He turned around and looked at Buffy.  
  
"Dawn! I am so glad that you are all right! How long has it been?" asked Buffy as she hugged Dawn.  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Dawn and Giles at the same time. Buffy just looked at them.  
  
"Since I died. And, how did you bring me back?" asked the Slayer.  
  
"Uh…" said Giles.  
  
"We were told you wouldn't remember," Dawn said, staring at her sister in awe.  
  
"What? Told? By whom? What's going on?"  
  
"Get dressed," commanded Giles. "We have to get back to the shop. That is where we will find all of our answers."  
  
Buffy and Dawn just stared at him for a moment. Buffy turned to Dawn, who nodded. Buffy glanced back at Giles, and then went upstairs to get dressed, rubbing her head, and wondering what was going on. Dawn just looked at Giles, uncertain what to do. Giles turned and stared out the window. They waited in silence for Buffy to come back.  
  
***  
  
Willow approached the mansion cautiously. It looked different, happier. As she made her way up to the place, she realized that the windows and doors had been replaced. Someone had put a lot of money into the place, and in the last few days. She felt it was even more urgent for her to get inside now. She looked for a way in. She finally found an unlocked window and crawled through.  
  
She was in the same room in which Buffy had appeared, but Willow did not recognize it. She looked around, and noticed that only one piece of furniture was not covered with a sheet. Looking around for evidence that Buffy had already been there, she discovered that the room not only was void of mirrors, but also had no shiny surfaces that might cast a reflection, either. This worried her. She moved to the door, quietly. She stuck her ear to the door and listened for a couple of moments. It wouldn't be good for the new occupants to find her in here.  
  
Carefully, she opened the door a crack and peeked out into the hallway. She saw a puddle with a towel covering it. She investigated further, and was relieved to discover that the puddle was nothing but water. She looked around again. The windows by the front door were filled with sunlight. Willow sighed as she realized that, if this mansion were to be inhabited by vampires, she would be safe in the entryway.  
  
"Buffy? Are you here?" she whispered. There was some commotion upstairs, and Willow heard a girl scream. Without thinking, she rushed upstairs and burst into the room from which the scream had come. To her surprise, she saw three vampires attacking a girl who looked to be no more than sixteen years old. Willow was about to interfere when the girl threw all three of the vamps off of her. The girl then proceeded to fight them. Willow just stood in the doorway, watching. She still had her hand on the doorknob, and her mouth hung open.  
  
After breaking what looked like a very expensive chair, the girl grabbed one of the legs and staked the first vampire. She then jumped into the air, spinning and kicking. Willow was amazed. She hadn't seen anyone fight like that. Not even Buffy. The girl landed and staked the second vampire in one fluid motion, before turning to face the third one. The remaining vampire stared at the girl, as if contemplating whether or not to attack. Finally, he thought better of it, and started to back away. At first, Willow thought that the girl might let him go. Then, the girl extended her arm, and the vamp turned to dust. Willow had not even seen the stake leave the girl's grasp, but there it was, falling to the ground with the remains of the vampire.  
  
The girl shook herself off, and then looked at the mess in front of her. She walked over to the chair and picked it up. She turned to set it aside, and noticed Willow. The girl gasped. Willow let go of the doorknob and closed her mouth. She opened it to say something, but no sound came out. The girl dropped the chair and looked around. Willow could see that the girl was scared.  
  
"Wh-what are you doing here?" asked the girl. Willow just stood there, unable to speak.  
  
"Did you see what just happened in here?" the girl asked. Willow nodded her head. The girl sighed. "You weren't supposed to see that. No one was. I can't believe this!"  
  
"It's o-okay," stammered Willow. "I already know who you are. And, that was amazing!"  
  
"Y-you know? How?"  
  
"Uh…Well, I know all about your kind. One of my best friends is one of you. In fact, that is why I am here. I was looking for my friend. Have you seen her? She's about my height, blonde, probably has amnesia?"  
  
"There was a girl like that here earlier. I don't know where she went, though."  
  
"Oh. I need to find her. It is important. Um… Why don't you come to the local magic shop and meet some of my friends. I know that they would all love to meet you. By the way, my name is Willow."  
  
"Willow? Uh, hi. I am Auroura. I…"  
  
"Oh, come on. Everyone at the Magic Box knows about your kind. We are quite the group. Besides, Giles will want to hear all about you."  
  
"Uh, okay. I suppose I could do that. Just let me tidy up a bit first?"  
  
"Sure. I'll help. I think you will really like it here in Sunnydale," said Willow as she bent over and picked up some things that had fallen from the desk.  
  
***  
  
Tara entered the magic shop, noticed Beyoncé crying and hurried over to her. She sat next to the girl and held her. She patted the girl on the back.  
  
"Shh… It's okay," she whispered to Beyoncé. Then, she looked up at Xander. "What did you do to her?" she demanded.  
  
"I-I didn't do anything!" said Xander. He sat on the opposite side of the young witch and looked at Tara. "We were talking, and she, she just, burst into tears. I can't get her to stop. I don't know what to do!" Xander looked even more exasperated than ever. Tara hid her smile. She looked down at Beyoncé, who was not crying as hard. She glanced back up at Xander.  
  
"I think she's going to be okay. I am sorry I snapped at you. I should have seen that you were at a loss. I can see it in your eyes, you know."  
  
Xander just looked at the girls. He was envious of Tara's ability to relate to the young girl. He was never very good at dealing with anyone younger than him, with the exception of Dawn. Of course, if Dawn had burst into tears, he thought he would be just as lost. Anya came over and stood next to Xander.  
  
"I thought you and Willow were checking the campus," said Anya.  
  
"We were," said Tara as she stroked the hair of the girl whose head was now buried in her shoulder. "Willow said that she had to go check the mansion where Angel had stayed while he was in town, but she wanted to let you all know what was going on. I told her I could come here and tell you while she went to the mansion."  
  
"The mansion," repeated Xander.  
  
"Oh. Yeah," said Anya. "We should have thought about that a while ago. It is where Buffy would have a lot of emotional attachment. What with her relationship with Angel and all." She lightly hit Xander on his shoulder. "Why didn't you think of that?"  
  
"Uh…" said Xander.  
  
"Yeah, that's about the reaction that Willow had, Anya. She about kicked herself for not thinking of it earlier. I was gonna just call, but decided that I would just come over instead. From the looks of things, it seems I made the right choice."  
  
"Yeah, Xander was having a really hard time trying to get her to calm down. And I was on the phone with a customer, so I couldn't help. Believe me, if I had known that mentioning her tail would create such a reaction, I would never have said anything."  
  
"Her what?" asked Tara. This set the girl off again. She was crying harder now than she was when Tara got there.  
  
The bell above the door rang, and everyone turned to see who was entering. They all leapt to their feet when they saw that it was Buffy, followed by Dawn and Giles. Beyoncé was actually forced to her feet when Tara got up. When she saw Dawn, however, she smiled. The two groups made their way to each other, with everyone smiling. Xander and Buffy were the first to embrace, and Xander kissed her on the cheek.  
  
"I'm so glad you are back," said Xander. "I really missed you."  
  
"It's great to be back, Xan. I can't believe I died again!"  
  
Everyone stopped when they heard this. Beyoncé really looked scared. Dawn and Giles just looked at each other. Anya was staring at Buffy, who was still in the embrace with Xander. Xander looked into Buffy's eyes.  
  
"What did you say?" Xander asked her.  
  
"I think you heard me, Xander." She pushed away from him, saddened that she had ruined their moment. She looked around. "I think you all heard what I said. That is why you are giving me such strange looks. That's why Giles and Dawn here won't look at me. I want to know what is going on." Her gaze landed on Beyoncé. "And, just exactly who are you?"  
  
Beyoncé started crying again, and Dawn rushed to her side. She glared at Giles and Xander as she led the other girl to a chair. Buffy looked on, confused. She hadn't meant to make the girl cry, but she really did want to know who this new girl was. Tara went over to help Dawn calm the girl down, and Giles stepped up to Buffy. He led her off to the side.  
  
"That girl is Beyoncé," he explained. "The Council sent her. She came to do the spell to bring you back."  
  
"So, why did she start crying when I asked who she was?"  
  
"I don't know. Maybe someone else can answer that one. We will find out all that we can, but we need to be patient and… Hey! Where's Willow?"  
  
"Uh, what is that all about?" demanded Buffy. "I thought the two of us were talking?"  
  
"I know, Buffy. But I just realized that Tara is here. And that Willow is not. They were supposed to be searching for you together."  
  
"Willow is still looking for Buffy. She should be back shortly," Tara explained.  
  
"Okay. One question answered," said Buffy. "Only a million to go. And, I suppose we should wait until Willow gets here, so we don't have to explain everything twice." She went to the table and sat down. She folded her arms on the table in front of her and lowered her head onto them. Everyone looked around, feeling slightly uncomfortable. A couple of people entered the shop, and everyone turned to see if it was Willow. It wasn't. Anya went back to the cash register. Giles went over to help the customers. Dawn and Beyoncé went into the back room, so they could talk without interruption. Xander sat across from Buffy. He felt he should say something, but didn't know what that something might be.  
  
***  
  
Spike was sitting in his crypt, waiting for night to come. Passions had gone off hours before, and now there was nothing on. He wondered if the witch could really bring Buffy back. He hoped that she could, because there was still so much that he needed to tell her. He knew that she didn't love him the same way that he loved her, but he felt the need to express his love anyway.  
  
"I am becoming too much like Angel," he lamented. He stood up and walked around, looking at what was in the crypt: a sarcophagus that he used for a bed, the TV, and a chair. That was about it. He wondered why he hadn't brought more into this place. He guessed it must have been because he had always hoped, deep down, that he wouldn't be there for very long. He hadn't planned on staying in Sunnydale, and then he got his chip. Even then he hadn't planned on being in Sunnydale all that long. Something was keeping him here, and that something was Buffy.  
  
Even now, with her dead, she was still the reason he was in Sunnydale. Because he had promised to look after Dawn. And what a great job he was doing, too. She had been targeted for death, and he hadn't been the one to save her. He would have felt better if it had been anyone other than Harmony! That was just too much. And, besides that, it was just wrong for vampires to care about humans. Which, of course, was exactly what he was doing! He punched the wall of the crypt in his frustration. Finally, he decided that he had to get his mind onto something else. He decided to check out the tunnels again.  
  
Once underground, he felt better. He didn't feel confined, like he had before. There was more to do down here, too. All of Sunnydale rested upon these tunnels, and he could get just about everywhere using them. The though made him feel powerful again. Now he was able to go on. He searched the tunnels randomly, just looking for something to get involved in. He found a nest of vampires. He was about to pounce on the closest one, when their conversation stopped him.  
  
"I can't believe that there is already a new Slayer in town!" said one of the vamps.  
  
"It just isn't right, I tell you! They should stay wherever they are called!" complained another.  
  
"I can agree with that. The problem is, this new Slayer is here, and she has obviously had a lot of training! She took out a couple the other night, and three more earlier today. What is the world coming to? We vampires can't even get a good meal without being stalked and killed!" added a third.  
  
"That's because we are evil, you nitwit!" exclaimed the first vamp. "That part is to be expected! But, we came to Sunnydale because the Slayer was dead! I never imagined the new one would show up here, too!"  
  
"So, tell me about this new Slayer, boys," said Spike as he casually entered their lair. "Maybe I can help get rid of her."  
  
"And, who are you?" demanded the vampires.  
  
"He is Spike, and you don't want to mess with him! He has killed two Slayers!" It was harmony. She ran up to Spike and hugged him. Then, regaining control of herself, she stepped back and turned to face the other vampires.  
  
"Harm, what are you doing here?" asked Spike.  
  
"I followed you. And, when I heard these vampires talking about a new Slayer, I knew you would get involved." She smiled sweetly, as if she had just won a beauty pageant. Spike sighed. He looked at the other vamps, who were glancing at each other.  
  
"Uh," began the first vamp. "The new Slayer is a young girl, about sixteen. She has long, dark hair, but not too dark. Like chestnut or something similar. And her eyes, they are hauntingly blue. They also seem to glow in the dark." The vampire noticed that Spike looked distracted. "D-do you know her?"  
  
"No. But she reminds me of someone I used to know," replied Spike.  
  
"She's not like Faith, if that's what you're thinking," added Harmony.  
  
"I know that, you silly bint! I was referring to someone I knew shortly after being sired. But, that was a long time ago."  
  
"Well, I was just trying to help, Spiky. No need to be testy," whined Harmony.  
  
"So, you've seen this new Slayer, too?"  
  
"Well, yeah. How else could I know what she looks like, and where she is staying? God, Spiky! Sometimes I wonder what I ever saw in you!"  
  
"You know where she is staying? Why didn't you say that to begin with?"  
  
"Because you didn't ask! Stop acting like you own me! We broke up, remember? You were too interested in the Slayer!" screamed Harmony.  
  
"All right. Fair enough. Harmony, could you please show me where the new Slayer is staying?"  
  
"Why, yes, Spike. I could. Thank you for asking," said Harmony. "Of course, she isn't there. She has already hooked up with that Willow Rosenberg. Of course. She must be a Slayer magnet, or something."  
  
"What? She's already met the others? Oh, no!" Spike yelled as he took off, heading for the magic shop. He hoped the access in the basement was still uncovered.  
  
***  
  
Willow and Auroura tidied up the room in the mansion, and then set out towards the magic shop. The sun was starting to go down, and the cool breeze was slowly turning into a cold wind. Auroura shivered as the two girls crossed the street. Willow smiled at the girl. She had found out that the girl was from a small country in Europe, near the Mediterranean. She thought the girl would be used to this type of weather, but apparently not. In actuality, Auroura was still getting used to the different sensations that her new humanity was allowing her to experience.  
  
"Is it much farther?" asked Auroura.  
  
"No, it's right over there," said Willow as she pointed to a shop at the end of the block. Auroura looked, and smiled.  
  
"Good. I can't believe I am shivering! It isn't even that cold," Auroura said.  
  
"Yeah, I noticed you were shivering. I didn't want to say anything, though. Didn't you get this sort of weather where you're from?"  
  
"Uh…Of course. All the time," said Auroura, hoping she sounded convincing. Truth was, until she had escaped from her prison, with her new abilities, she had never noticed the weather. "I should be used to it. Maybe I am just nervous about meeting new people. It's been awhile. You know, because of…" She decided that the rest didn't need to be vocalized. Willow just nodded agreement. Auroura was amazed that someone who knew about her could be so nice.  
  
When they reached the shop, Willow just walked in, like always. Auroura, however, hesitated. She wasn't certain that she would be accepted, despite Willow's assurances. She stopped at the door, and thought again about Anne. She had really liked Anne, and after meeting some of the people here in Sunnydale, she was beginning to think that maybe there really are people who help others and expect nothing in return. The concept was still new to her, and she wasn't sure she had enough evidence to support her theory. After all, she herself had deceived people for years before exacting payment. Was that what these people did? Sunnydale was built on a Hellmouth, after all.  
  
Finally, she decided that she couldn't do it. She would have to wait, and see what happened later. She would try to find Willow and apologize to her later. For now, she just wanted to get back home. The sense that she was being watched returned, and she took off running. She didn't stop until she had gotten home and locked her doors. The spells had been performed just after Buffy had left, and the mansion was now more secure than any other building in town.  
  
***  
  
Willow entered the magic shop, and all eyes turned to her. Buffy, who has still been sitting at the table with her head on her arms, looked up and smiled. Xander, sitting across from Buffy, turned to see what had caused her to smile. Anya and Giles were both at the cash register, and looked up expecting to see another customer. Dawn and Beyoncé were still in the back room, where Tara had gone to check on them. Buffy jumped up and hurried over to her friend, hugging her when they finally met.  
  
"Buffy," said Willow. "You're back!"  
  
"Yeah, I am. And, now that you are here, we can all find some answers." She let go of her friend and turned to the back room. "Willow's here! Come on out so we can get to work!"  
  
Tara appeared immediately. She rushed over to Willow and gave her a hug. Then she turned to Buffy. Willow was looking around for Auroura, who was nowhere to be found. Buffy stared at Tara, knowing what she was about to say. She raised her hand, motioning for Tara to stay quiet. Tara, startled, shut her mouth and took a step back.  
  
"Dawn, tell your friend that we are not going to hurt her. We are simply trying to find out the whole story. I personally offer her my protection, and anyone who wants to harm her will have to go through me. You can tell her just exactly how much that means. Now, please, come out so we can get started."  
  
When she was done speaking, she turned to the door that led to the back room. Dawn appeared instantly, and she pulled her friend along behind her. As the two girls came into view, Buffy smiled at them. She swept the room, looking for signs of trouble. Before anyone could move, she had bounded across the room to the basement door. Everyone looked at her. She held her finger up to her mouth, motioning for silence. All the occupants of the store froze. Suddenly, and in one motion, Buffy opened the basement door, grabbed something, and flung it across the store. As it hit the wall, there was a grunt of pain. The object was alive.  
  
"Ah, bloody hell!" cursed Spike as he slid down the wall. Everyone sighed and relaxed. "Well, nice to see all of you, too. And, who threw me like that?"  
  
"I did. I didn't know it was you. I just heard someone coming up the basement steps, and… I just reacted. I'm sorry," explained Buffy.  
  
"Buffy? Is that really you?"  
  
"In the flesh. Are you okay, Spike?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll be fine. I just wanted to come and check on things. I heard there is a new Slayer in town."  
  
"Oh, I've met her," added Willow. "She was right behind me when I entered the shop. I don't know what could have happened to her. She told me she wanted to meet all of you. Buffy, you've met her, too."  
  
"What? Me? When?"  
  
"She said you were at her mansion earlier. That you just appeared. When I explained things, she was not surprised, and she was willing to come over and meet all of you."  
  
"So, that was the new Slayer, huh?" asked Buffy. "Well, that would certainly explain a few things. Okay, now I want to start talking about what has been going on. We'll start with how I died, and move on from there, okay? So, who wants to go first?" She spun around. "Giles?"  
  
"Well, I think I should start," said Dawn. Everyone looked at her. "I was the one who was on the tower with you when you jumped."  
  
"I jumped? Why?"  
  
"To close the portal. You figured that it was our blood, and not just mine, that would close the portal that Doc had opened for Glory."  
  
"Okay, I remember the portal part. So, I jumped into the portal, and…"  
  
"You closed the portal, but it cost you your life. The rest of us just had to pick up the pieces and move on," cried Dawn. "You were gone for over a week before I finally heard from Dad. He said that he was trying to arrange things to get back and take custody of me. I didn't want to leave Sunnydale, so Giles petitioned for custody. On the day we went to court for the hearing, he didn't even show up!" Dawn broke down into tears. Buffy rushed over and embraced her.  
  
"Shh, Dawn. It's okay. I'm here now. Everything is going to be okay."  
  
"The day of the hearing is also when Beyoncé showed up," added Giles.  
  
"Beyoncé?" asked Buffy.  
  
"M-m-me," came the response. Buffy looked up from Dawn and stared at the young witch.  
  
"And, what is your part in all of this?" demanded Buffy.  
  
"I…"  
  
"She is the one who performed the spell of resurrection, Buffy." That was Tara. She smiled as Beyoncé turned to look at her.  
  
"Well, then. I guess I owe you a thank you, huh? Thank you," said Buffy. Beyoncé smiled again, and appeared to gain a lot of confidence. She stood up straight, and looked around.  
  
"But, why can I remember my death? And…all the other things?"  
  
"Other things?" asked Beyoncé.  
  
"Well, I remember things that I don't know if they even happened, and, if they did happen, I shouldn't be able to remember them. Does that make any sense?"  
  
"Sort of. It would help if you could give me an example, though," said Beyoncé.  
  
"Well, there was the time I went to LA, to talk to Angel. A demon broke into his office, and…He killed it. Except, that didn't happen the first time. You see, the first time, the demon entered and attacked us. We chased it, and killed it, but some of its blood got on Angel. He became human."  
  
"What?" demanded Spike. Buffy was nodding. Dawn stepped away from Buffy and looked at her.  
  
"Yeah. Angel was human, and we… We were together for a night. But, Angel went to the Oracles and had them turn back time, so that he could kill the demon before it infected him. I can remember our conversation when he told me. Only, I am not supposed to, because the Oracles changed time, and it never happened."  
  
"Uh…" said Beyoncé "I have no idea how you can remember that. You shouldn't be able to. I mean, we know that already, but… You shouldn't be remembering that."  
  
"I know. And, that isn't the only thing." Everyone turned to look at her. "But, I don't want to share all of that… I just want to know what is going on."  
  
"I… I just don't know. It shouldn't be like this. The only possible explanation I can come up with is the fact that you are a Slayer, and that you have powers of your own. Those powers might be responsible for all of this. We can't be certain, because a Slayer has never been resurrected before," explained Beyoncé.  
  
"So, what do we do now? Where do I get the answers? I don't even know if all of this stuff is true," said Buffy.  
  
"Maybe the spell was messed up," offered Tara.  
  
"I… I don't think so. In the past, when the spell has been messed up, the person either comes back as a zombie, or else they don't come back at all. Buffy is here, and she is obviously not a zombie, so I doubt that the spell was messed up," said Beyoncé.  
  
"Well, I was just offering a suggestion. I didn't mean…" Tara cut off her sentence.  
  
"Okay, let's just forget about that for now. Let's move on. Not that I am not grateful, or anything, but… Why was I brought back? I mean, we couldn't bring Mom back, so, why am I standing here when I died over two weeks ago?"  
  
"Because the Council ordered it. I was told to make it happen," answered Beyoncé.  
  
"Okay, so, why you? Why didn't they just give the spell to Willow here, and have her do it?"  
  
"Because… Um, because… Uh…" stammered Beyoncé. Everyone was staring at her. She was so scared she couldn't even think. She could feel everyone staring at her, waiting for an answer. But, how was she supposed to do that? She had never told anyone. The Council didn't even know the whole truth. Tears welled up in her eyes again. Buffy stepped forward and hugged her.  
  
"It's okay, Beyoncé. As long as you tell us the truth, we won't harm you. You can trust us."  
  
"It's about her tail," said Anya.  
  
"Anya! That was totally uncalled for! Can't you see the girl is scared?" Xander scolded. He looked apologetically at Buffy. He was jealous of her ability to calm the girl.  
  
"Well, it's true!" screamed Anya.  
  
"Would you stop helping?" hissed Xander.  
  
"I-it's okay," began Beyoncé. "She's right."  
  
Everyone stared at Beyoncé. She was staring to feel nervous again, but Dawn smiled at her. She turned to look at Buffy, who also smiled reassuringly. Anya was beaming, haven been proven right. Xander had his head in his hands, with an expression of defeat on his face. The young witch stepped away from all of them, and ended her Glamour.  
  
***  
  
Auroura stood at her window, staring out into the darkness. She was thinking about what her life was like before she was sired. She was a princess, betrothed to the prince from a neighboring country. Angered by the fact that her opinions, feelings, and thoughts were ignored, she had taken off. She wandered in the woods beside the castle for the entire night, and, the next morning, found that she was totally lost. She decided to ask for help, thinking that anyone would be anxious to help the princess.  
  
That had been her first mistake. When she blundered out onto the road, she was definitely recognized as the princess. Unfortunately, the first wagon she encountered was that of a slave trader. She was grabbed and rather forcefully put in with the other girls. When she explained who she was, they told her that it would serve to increase her price, and that she was now their property. Being a princess, she was unused to this sort of treatment. She demanded that they take her back to the castle, and they beat her so severely she could hardly move.  
  
A week later, though still in bad shape, she was transferred from the wagon to the ship, which set sail soon after she got on board. As the days passed on the ship, she grew stronger and healthier. She was forced to help out on the ship, made to clean the galley and help serve the men. Once, she was taken to the captain's private chamber, and brutally forced to surrender her virginity to him. Later, she was taken to another chamber, where she was to wait for her companion. While she waited, she searched the cabin for some sort of weapon. She grew frustrated, and kicked the desk that was in the room.  
  
When she did, a hidden compartment opened. Inside that compartment was a knife. That night was the very first time she had ever taken a human life, but it wouldn't be the last. She was punished for her indiscretion, but not with a beating. They were too close to their destination, and afraid that she wouldn't have time to heal. Instead, she was tied up and tossed overboard, so that she could be dragged along beside the ship. She nearly drowned.  
  
A few days later, they arrived at a port the likes of which she had never seen, and the girls were unloaded. She had not made any friends during the trip, and was certain that she was going to die soon. All of the other girls hated her, and with good reason. She had looked down on them, and treated them as if they were her underlings, instead of her equals. Now that they were headed to auction, she deeply regretted that. However, it turned out to be her salvation.  
  
Because the other girls had formed friendships, they forced her to the back, so she was the last to be chained to the others. There was a single guard at the back of the line, and when some of the girls tried to escape, Auroura was able to stop them, making the guard look upon her with a certain amount of favor. She said that they were foolish to try to escape now, since they were so far from their homes. The guard was impressed, and when he tried to get a little personal, Auroura let him. When he leaned in to kiss her, she stole the keys from him.  
  
She didn't get a chance to escape right away. She knew that she had to wait for just the right time, and even then her chances would not be great. When the group stopped for the third time, she made her move. She unlocked her chains, and used them to hit the guard. When he fell to the ground, she took off, tossing the keys to the other girls. The guards were so busy trying to wrestle the keys away from their captives, that they didn't start chasing Auroura until it was too late.  
  
Auroura managed to make her way back to the port, where she crept onto a vessel and made sure she stayed hidden until it was moving. After the ship had been at sea for a day and a half, she finally dared to leave her hiding place. She was searching for food when she was discovered. Fortunately, though, the one to discover her was a young girl, who offered to help her, in exchange for being a friend and playmate. Auroura agreed quickly.  
  
Auroura was then able to get food and fresh water on a daily basis, while the girl helped her stay hidden. They played and talked for several hours a day. One day, the little girl didn't come to see her. She was upset, but figured there had to be a reason. Then, four days passed without a visit from the girl, and Auroura became concerned. The little girl had been the only friend that she knew. No longer caring about herself, Auroura came out of hiding and tried to investigate. She found the girl alone in a cabin. The girl was sick, and Auroura could tell just by looking at her. She rushed to her side, and asked if there was any way she could help.  
  
The little girl was hysterical, telling Auroura that she had to go back to her hiding place, so that neither of them would get in trouble. Auroura refused. She told the girl that she couldn't leave her in that condition. The girl begged, and Auroura finally gave in. She left the cabin and headed back to her hiding place. Before she had made it to her hiding place, though, she decided that she couldn't leave her friend. She turned and ran back to the cabin. When she entered, the girl was dead. Auroura had never been so heartbroken in all her life.  
  
She spent the next two days in her hiding place, afraid to come out, even for food. She had taken a bottle of water from the girl's cabin, and had rationed it out so it would last a week. People came and went, completely unaware that the girl was hiding so near to them. She found out that the girl was the captain's only daughter, and that her mother had drowned a year earlier. These details caused Auroura to cry, but she kept silent, and the hours continued to pass. On the morning of the third day following the death of the little girl, the ship docked.  
  
Auroura waited for several hours before she left her hiding place. She walked through the ship, feeling a strange sense of detachment. She walked to the girl's cabin and looked inside. The place had been emptied. This made Auroura angry, but she knew that there was nothing she could do. Instead, she stood in the doorway and cried. After a few minutes, she wiped her tears and swore that she would not show weakness again.  
  
That night, as she departed the ship, she looked at the place where her friend had been dumped into the cold, cruel waters. They had called it a burial at sea, but Auroura called it dumping her friend into the murky depths of eternal loneliness. She swore to her friend that she would avenge this injustice, and turned to go. She walked right into a man. He was beautiful, thought Auroura. Almost angelic. He asked her if she had a place to stay, and when she said that she did not, he took her to his place. That was when he met Darla and Drusilla.  
  
"Angelus, what is this?" asked Darla. "Did you bring me a present?"  
  
"A present, yes, but not for you, Darla. This little angel is for Drusilla," explained Angelus.  
  
"For me? A gift?" questioned Drusilla as she sat up in the bed. Auroura stared at the three of them, uncertain how to react. She knew by the look on Darla's face that she was in danger, but seemed to be unable to leave. Drusilla got off the bed and moved closer. She stood beside Auroura and stared at her.  
  
"Really?" She looked up at Angelus. "This one is mine? To do with as I please?"  
  
"Yes," replied Angelus. "A gift to lift your spirits. Darla and I will leave the two of you alone. Come on, Darla." With that, Angelus and Darla left. Drusilla sat on the edge of the bed and just stared at Auroura for a few moments.  
  
"You are a princess," said Drusilla. Auroura jumped, both because of the sudden statement, and the fact that it was true.  
  
"Y-yes, ma'am," replied Auroura.  
  
"And polite, too. What are you doing here, then? You are not from here."  
  
"I-I was kidnapped."  
  
"By Daddy? He shouldn't ha—"  
  
"Uh…C-can I go now? I have a long way to go to get home." Auroura cringed as the woman on the bed snapped to attention. More chills raced down Auroura's back as the woman looked at her. There was something in those eyes that Auroura wished she hadn't seen.  
  
"You are home, princess." The voice was different from the one she had used just a moment earlier. Auroura was now totally scared. She slowly backed away from the bed. Drusilla was staring off into space, so Auroura lunged for the door. Drusilla knocked her to the floor before she was even halfway there. And that was when the torture started. Nine horrific hours later, Auroura had been sired.  
  
Now, in Sunnydale, Auroura continued to stand at her window, staring into the darkness, crying. She cried for the girl she once was, and for the monster that she had become. Finally, she turned from the window and headed to her bed. She suddenly had the feeling she was being watched again. She scanned the room quickly, and then went back tot eh window. As she stared out into the night, she noticed a figure in the bushes. She opened the window and leaned out, trying to get a better look. The figure sank back into the bushes and disappeared. Auroura closed the window, got dressed, and went out into the night.  
  
*** 


	2. Part 2: the conclusion

Resurrected, Part 2  
  
Back at the Magic Box, Beyoncé stood in the middle of the room, waiting for a response. There was nothing but silence. The witch looked around, trying to decide what her next step should be. Should she explain herself, or just get away as quickly as possible? As the silence continued, she became more and more frightened. Finally, Dawn spoke.  
  
"I… I don't understand."  
  
"What are you?" asked Anya. Everyone else was relieved that the question was finally out there, waiting to be answered. They all continued to stare at Beyoncé. With tears rolling down her cheeks, the young witch spoke.  
  
"I don't know what I am," she sobbed. "I was created from the DNA of both humans and kangaroos. I was genetically designed for a specific purpose: to be a weapon. I was created in a secret laboratory in the mountains of Asia, by a group of people from several different countries. My DNA was chosen specifically to give me enhanced abilities. As soon as I was able to fend for myself, I was put into a rigorous program that consisted of a series of field exercises that were to determine my worth to the entire project. To see is I was as good as the others."  
  
"The others?" asked Giles.  
  
"Yes, there were twenty of us, total. Each with different DNA, and different abilities. There was a boy made from human and gorilla DNA, a boy with tiger DNA, and another girl, but she had been given the DNA of a wolf. We were known as group A. That's it. Just group A. We were never given individual names, and never left alone. The four of us were together at all times. For ten years, I was a part of that group. Never knowing that anyone else existed, except the one we referred to as mother. Perhaps you have heard of her? Her name is Maggie Walsh."  
  
"Oh, yeah. We knew her!" exclaimed Xander.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean we knew her. Like, we interacted with her," explained Xander.  
  
"I know that much. But you use the past tense. Am I to assume that she is dead?"  
  
"Yes, Beyoncé," said Buffy. "Maggie Walsh is dead. Killed by another of her creations. She was here in Sunnydale a couple of years ago, working to create a creature that was part demon, part human, and part computer. The creature killed her, and we had to destroy the creature."  
  
"Oh," came the response.  
  
"Oh? Just oh?" asked Anya.  
  
"Well, I suppose I should probably feel something, but the truth is, I don't. It just doesn't matter to me one way or the other. Maggie Walsh, and the direction her life took, is not really my concern. She was just another person. She didn't care about us. She left us when we were ten, so she could continue her studies elsewhere. Am I really supposed to mourn the death of someone like that?" No one had an answer for that.  
  
"Anyway, after she left, the project continued. When we were eleven, we were introduced to the other four groups, each consisting of two males, and two females. We were then set to train against the other groups, with the winner of each exercise getting some sort of special reward. The training continued this way for another three years. During one of the training exercises, an entire team was killed. The rest of us refused to participate in further training. That lasted only a few days, as we were threatened and punished. Finally, we agreed to continue our training."  
  
"So, how did you get away, then?" asked Dawn.  
  
"I am getting to that. As I said, we agreed to continue the training. It was made clear to us that the training was going to get harder each day, and that we would not be given any further help. It was either pass the training exercise, or get left behind. Those left behind were either cast out on their own, or killed. On one exercise, we were supposed to go into the mountains and retrieve a small computer. On the way up the mountain, I slipped and fell into a ravine. When my teammates tried to help, they were told to leave me and continue."  
  
"That is awful," interrupted Dawn.  
  
"Yes, it was. I lay at the bottom of the ravine, broken and bent. I was near death. I decided that I didn't want to live. I closed my eyes and prayed for death to take me. As you can see, it didn't. Instead, the real Beyoncé found me, and took me back to her cave. She asked me if I would like to learn the ways of the Wiccas. I told her I had no idea who they were, and I didn't care. I just wanted to die. She told me it wasn't my time. I told her to make it my time. She said that wasn't an option. I would have to live."  
  
"So, that's how you got your powers?" questioned Dawn.  
  
"Not exactly. At first, I was a lousy student. I was able to learn much of anything, because the ways of Wicca were so different from what I had known my entire life. Finally, Beyoncé told me that she was dying, and that she had just one chance to pass on her knowledge. I asked her how. She said she would have to have a willing volunteer, and I agreed. That was when she cast a spell that was so powerful that it drained her completely. She died then."  
  
"Oh! How horrible!" exclaimed Dawn.  
  
"Yes, it was. I was only fourteen. I didn't know what was going to happen. I cried myself to sleep that night. I dreamt about her that night. In my dream, she told me that she had passed her knowledge and power to me, and that she would always be with me, because of that spell. The next morning, I discovered that I had knowledge and abilities that were not there the night before. I was a Wicca. I had all of this knowledge, and all of this power, and I even knew how to use it. I finally realized that it was the result of that final spell Beyoncé had cast."  
  
"That is an amazing story, but, how can we be certain that it is true?" asked Giles. Anya raised her hand.  
  
"I am not sure how much of her story is true, but I did know a witch named Beyoncé. She summoned me once. The only time I had been summoned, actually. If this Beyoncé can describe the one she met, I could tell you if they are the same person."  
  
"The Beyoncé who gave her powers to me…Anyanka? Is that who you are? I can't believe it! If you are really a demon that Beyoncé summoned, then that must be who you are."  
  
"Uh, that's ex-demon," corrected Anya.  
  
"Yes, I remember that. It was the only time that I successfully managed to summon a demon in its true form. All of the others were in human form. I had no idea that a vengeance demon would appear when I summoned you. That was such a disappointment."  
  
"Hey!" screamed Anya.  
  
"Oh, sorry, no disrespect meant. I was just hoping for something a little more…exotic. You know, something less common."  
  
"So, has she proven anything, Anya?" demanded Buffy.  
  
"Yes. She is the real thing. Only Beyoncé would talk like that. I've seen the spell done before, too. But never like she described. Usually, the witch places her hands on the temples of the willing subject, and passes her knowledge and power on to the subject. The subject then retains both sets of memories. That is the closest a mortal can get to immortality. But there are consequences."  
  
"Yeah," agreed Beyoncé. "Like not being able to control who is in charge at all times. Usually, Beyoncé stays in the back of my mind, like a conscience, or something. Sometimes, though, she takes control, and I am the one in the back of my own mind. And, it never happens when I want it to, either."  
  
"Cool," said Dawn.  
  
"Well, that certainly explains a lot," said Xander. "So, where do we go from here?"  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Beyoncé.  
  
"He means, we still don't know for certain why I am remembering things that I have no right remembering, and there is a new Slayer in town that will need to be incorporated into our little group, and… And I don't know what all else." She looked around and sighed. "I need to do something. I am going patrolling. Anyone coming?"  
  
"No, thanks. I am too tired. I think I'm just going to go home and go to bed," said Willow. Tara nodded her agreement.  
  
"I am too tired, too. Whoa, did I just say that?" asked Dawn.  
  
"I will see Dawn and Beyoncé home," said Giles. Then, he added, "Will that be your house, or mine?"  
  
"I don't care," said Buffy. "Whichever they decide will be fine. When I get done patrolling, I will be going to our house, though."  
  
"We'll go home, too," said Dawn, with a bit of excitement in her voice.  
  
"Fine," declared Buffy. She turned to Xander. "What about you and Anya? Are you up for a little patrolling?"  
  
"Actually, we have plans," Anya said hurriedly, before Xander could reply. "But thank you for asking."  
  
"Whatever," said Buffy. Then she noticed Spike standing in the corner. "What about you? You want to patrol with me?"  
  
"Who? Me?" asked Spike.  
  
"Well, yeah. You're the only one left."  
  
"Well, sure. I mean. It's just… Uh, yeah. I can handle that."  
  
"Well, the night won't last forever. Let's go." With that, the Scoobies exited the magic shop, and headed off in their own directions.  
  
***  
  
Auroura had lost the one she was trailing, but had encountered a few other vampires on her way back to her place. After disposing of them, she felt invigorated, so she decided that she would check around to see if maybe there were other vampires in the area. She had been walking for a while, when she spotted Harmony. She decided that a young girl like that would be a prime target for vamps, so she followed her. After a few minutes, Harmony entered a building, and Auroura lost interest. On her way back home, she entered a cemetery. She picked up Spike's scent, and went to investigate.  
  
Before she could locate the source of the scent, four vampires attacked her. They threw her to the ground, and started beating on her. She grabbed the leg of one, and swung it into the air. The owner of that leg fell into the other three, giving her an opportunity to get up. Once on her feet, she quickly looked around for a weapon. The only thing she could find was a tree branch, and it was several yards away. She lunged for it.  
  
One of the vampires caught her by the hair, and she twisted around to face him. Her leg went up into the air, so that her foot connected with his jaw. His head flew backward, and he let go of her hair. She fell to the ground, and quickly turned over on her stomach. She got her hand beneath her and pushed herself up. When she was horizontal, she jumped towards the branch. She was stopped again, but this time by another vampire. He grabbed her around the waist and took her to the ground. He was sitting on top of her before she had a chance to move.  
  
"You certainly are a feisty one, aren't you?" hissed the vampire. Auroura kicked the back of his head and pushed him to the side.  
  
"You could say that," she replied as she stood up again. In one smooth motion, she swooped down, picked up the branch, spun around, and impaled the vampire that had been on top of her a moment earlier. She smiled with delight as she twisted the branch in her hand like a baton. She turned to face the other three vampires. One jumped at her, and she knocked him to the side. She wasn't ready to kill another one just yet. She wanted to get a good workout first. Jumping into the air, she flew at one of the other vampires, knocking him to the ground as well. She, however, landed on her feet, spinning around to face the only vampire left standing.  
  
"So, what are you gonna do?" Auroura asked the vampire in front of her. He just stared at her for a moment, and then shifted his eyes to the vampire on the ground. Auroura moved her arm in an arc, and the vampire on the ground turned to dust. She never took her eyes off of the vampire who was standing in front of her. His companion stepped up behind him. Auroura took a step forward. Both vampires retreated. Auroura laughed.  
  
"What, you're afraid of a little girl with a stick?" she teased. The vampire in back jumped at her, and she turned the branch sideways, causing it to hit him in the chest, but not stake him. He fell to the ground again, and Auroura finally staked him, while staring into the eyes of the one who remained. When the vampire on the ground was nothing but a pile of dust, she spoke again.  
  
"So, that makes three that I have gotten. What do you think are the chances that you will survive?"  
  
"I am not afraid of the Slayer," hissed the vampire. Auroura tilted her head back and let out a loud, powerful laugh. The vampire took a step back, suddenly certain that this was not where he wanted to be. When Auroura lowered her head, the smile was still there. She ran at the vampire, and pushed him against the wall of a crypt. She changed to vampire mode, and hissed in his ear.  
  
"I am not a Slayer. I am worse. Much, much worse. I am a vampire that walks in the daytime. I am a vampire that no longer needs blood to survive. I am a vampire with a score to settle." When she finished speaking, she took a step back, and let him see her. She shook her head, and looked human again. Then she staked him. As he turned to dust and fell to the ground, Auroura dropped the tree branch and looked around. She caught Spike's scent again, and realized that it was coming from the crypt. She stepped inside and decided to wait for Spike to show up.  
  
***  
  
Buffy and Spike walked silently along the street. The others had all gone their separate ways, heading in for the night. Buffy felt that something was wrong, that she had to be out patrolling tonight. She looked around, certain that she was missing something. She glanced over at Spike, who quickly turned away. Spike was still in love with her. She could tell just by looking at him.  
  
"Spike," said Buffy.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I…"  
  
"Yes?" He turned to face her. It was her turn to face the other direction. She didn't know exactly what she wanted to say, but knew that she had to say something.  
  
"I know you have been watching out for Dawn. Thank you."  
  
"Uh, sure, no problem. I actually like the kid. And, I did make a promise."  
  
"Yes, and I am thanking you for that."  
  
"But?"  
  
"But, what?"  
  
"Oh, come on, Buffy! You know that I can tell when you want to say something more."  
  
"That's just it."  
  
"What is just what? Make some sense."  
  
"Spike, I died. I was gone! And yet…" She stopped. He took another step before stopping and turning back to her. He saw that she was struggling with something, and nodded his head.  
  
"It's okay. I died once. Makes you think about a lot of things…"  
  
"No. I mean, yes." Buffy shook her head, as if trying to clear it. "I am not saying this right." She grabbed Spike by his shoulders and stared into his eyes. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Sorry? For what?"  
  
"Oh, everything. I am sorry that your life was such a mess. Sorry that you were sired." She reached up and gently caressed the side of his head. She jerked her hand back. "Sorry that you got that chip in your head. Sorry that I wasn't able to kill you, and forced you to continue your existence, even though it has been so rough on you."  
  
"Buffy, none of that is really your fault. You weren't around when I was alive."  
  
"My heart expands/'tis grown a bulge in it/inspired by your beauty, effulgent." Spike steps away from her, looking as though he has just been struck. He stares at her.  
  
"Who told you that?"  
  
"You did, or rather, that guy who took the paper from you. In 1880."  
  
"That's impossible! You weren't around then! What is going on?"  
  
"It's kind of hard to explain, William."  
  
"Why did you call me that?"  
  
"It's what I always call you." Buffy shook her head. "I mean, that is what Cecily called you. You wrote that poem for her."  
  
"Uh, about her, actually. But, how do you know?"  
  
"I don't know how. I just know." She looks into his eyes again. "Buffy has been given a second chance," she whispers to him, in an English accent. Spike's eyes widen with surprise. Buffy shakes her head again. "I mean, I have a chance to set things right. After all of this time, I can set things right." Spike backs away.  
  
"So, you're gonna stake me now?" Buffy starts giggling, and puts her hand to her mouth, stifling the sound.  
  
"No, Spike. I have to start with another apology."  
  
"What for this time?"  
  
"For being too much like Cecily." Spike looks at her with renewed interest. "You are not beneath me." Buffy hangs her head. "I am so sorry." Buffy then turns and runs off. She hears Spike calling to her, but she doesn't stop. Not until she makes her way to the cemetery.  
  
As she enters the cemetery, she sees a vampire ducking behind a tree. She pulls out her stake and carefully approaches the tree. She steps around it, but finds nothing. She looks around, and sees the vampire leaving the cemetery. She rushes to stop him, but is too late. The vampire drops out of sight, into the sewer. Buffy reluctantly follows.  
  
***  
  
Spike, at a loss to explain what just happened between himself and Buffy, decides to call it a night. He walks through the town, alone. He finally makes his way back to the cemetery, and notices that there is a strange silence permeating the area around his crypt. He cautiously approaches, and realizes that someone is inside. Thinking it must be Buffy; he rushes in to see her. He stops when he realizes that the woman in front of him is not the Slayer. She spins around, and, as he recognizes her, she speaks to him.  
  
"Spike! I am so glad to finally see you again!" exclaims Auroura as she rushes forward to embrace him. After a quick hug, she steps back and looks at him. "What? What's wrong?"  
  
"Uh… Nothing. I just wasn't expecting to see you, is all. It's been what? About fifty years now?"  
  
"Spike! It's only been forty-three! Fifty? What were you thinking?"  
  
"I don't know. There has just been too much going on lately. So, Big Sister, what brings you to Sunnydale?"  
  
"Don't call me that," said Auroura as she turned away. She walked over to the sarcophagus and sat down. "You brought me here. Well, not literally, but still. I have been searching for you. Darla told me where to find you."  
  
"Darla? She actually helped you? I can't believe that! What did you do to her?"  
  
"Spike, I didn't do anything to her. She was with Drusilla, in Los Angeles."  
  
"Why were you in Los Angeles? It is certainly a long way from Europe."  
  
"I told you. I was looking for you. I wanted to see you, since you are the closest thing I have to family."  
  
"Whatever scheme you have cooking, count me out. I am not interested in taking over the world."  
  
"Spike, I'm hurt. I can't believe you would think something like that," Auroura pouted. When Spike just looked at her, she continued. "Okay, I can believe it. I know that I used to be a little obsessed with the idea, but things have changed. I have changed. I'm not the same vampire that I used to be."  
  
"Yeah, sure. So, are you gonna tell me what you want, or not?"  
  
"I heard you were in love with a Slayer," hissed Auroura. She smiled slightly as Spike winced. She had hit a nerve. "See? I can be hateful, too. I had a good teacher."  
  
"Yeah, Drusilla is a real piece of work."  
  
"Yeah, sure. I wasn't talking about her. I was talking about you. I watched you and learned from you. I never did like Drusilla. Or Darla, for that matter. But you, you were my hero. I even had a bit of a crush on… Oh! I said too much!"  
  
"So, you had a crush? Big deal. I assume that you have grown up and moved on?"  
  
"Why are you being so hateful? I was never so cruel to you! Of all the people I have ever met, you were the only one I ever looked up to! You have no idea what I have been through, searching for you!" Spike was shocked by the outburst. It was totally uncharacteristic for Auroura. He knew now that something was definitely different about her.  
  
"What's going on, Auroura?"  
  
"I don't know what you mean. I am just interested in finding a friend. Or, someone I thought was a friend."  
  
"Déjà vu."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I just had a similar conversation with someone. I said something like: You know I can tell when you want to say more. She was telling me about… Uh, never mind. So, tell me what you have been doing?"  
  
"Spike, I'm scared."  
  
"Scared? Of me?" Auroura nodded. "Why?"  
  
"Because, I don't know how you are going to react. I don't know how much I should tell you. What I should leave out of the story, and what you will think of me when it's all said and done."  
  
"You've been killing other vampires, haven't you?"  
  
"How did you know?"  
  
"Auroura, when you come to a Hellmouth and start killing vampires, so soon after a Slayer dies, people talk. Well, demons and vampires do, anyway. They think you are the new Slayer." Auroura jerked her head up to look at him. He could see the surprise in her eyes.  
  
"They think what? Why?"  
  
"Let's see… The Slayer dies, and suddenly, a couple weeks later, there is a new girl in town, killing vampires and demons. Now, why would anyone make a connection?"  
  
"That explains Willow's reaction. She thought I was a Slayer. When she said your kind, she was talking about Slayers, not vampires! Oh, I am so glad I didn't go with her after all!"  
  
"What? You lost me, babe."  
  
"What? Oh. There was a girl, Willow, who saw me kill a few vamps at my mansion, and she said she knew all about my kind. I thought she was talking about vampires! She wanted to introduce me to her friends, but I chickened out."  
  
"Good thing, too. I was there, and that would have been really awkward. We'll tell Buffy first, and then she can help us tell the others."  
  
"I don't want them to know."  
  
"It is going to be a little difficult keeping it hidden from them."  
  
"Um… Well, I will try. I have done a good job so far. Buffy didn't know I am a vampire."  
  
"What? You met Buffy? When? How?"  
  
"Oh, she appeared in my mansion. Seems she and Angel were, uh, intimate in my sitting room. Seems that was enough of an emotional attachment for the resurrection spell." She looked up at Spike, who was shocked to be hearing a recap of a conversation that Auroura wasn't a part of. "What? Don't look so surprised. Willow likes to talk."  
  
"Oh. That explains it. Good old Willow." Spike rolled his eyes. "But, we still have to tell her."  
  
"Why? She doesn't know. There is no reason for her to find out. They think I am a Slayer, so I will just play the part. It shouldn't be too difficult."  
  
"Because, if she finds out on her own, then she will kill you. If we go to her, then she will listen and be more willing to accept it."  
  
"I just don't know, Spike. What if she tries to kill me anyway?"  
  
"She won't."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"I just know. Trust me. She won't kill you. You just have to believe me."  
  
"To the end of time and forever, I'll believe you. Okay. I will tell her. Please Spike; let me tell her on my own. That's all I ask."  
  
"Sure. But, don't waste time. The longer you wait, the harder it will be. Harder for you to tell her; harder for her to accept it."  
  
"Alright. I will tell her. I promise."  
  
"Good. So, what did you want to tell me?"  
  
"Can it wait? I have a lot to think about right now, and I don't want to complicate things. I will tell you, just not tonight, okay?"  
  
"Sure. Take as long as you need. I am not going anywhere. I'll be here when you decide the time is right."  
  
"Thanks." She leaned up and kissed him on his cheek. "I am sorry, but I need to go now. Maybe I can find Buffy before the morning light."  
  
"Yeah. Good idea. Would you like me to come with you?"  
  
"That's okay," Auroura told him as she shook her head. "I can manage. Thanks again. It is nice to see you again." She gave him a hug, and then left.  
  
***  
  
Buffy crept through the tunnels below Sunnydale, trying to find the vampire she had seen descending into the sewers. He couldn't have just vanished, and yet she could not find any evidence of his passing. She strained her ears, trying to pick up even the slightest hint as to his location. The trickle of water was coming from all directions, but other than that, there was nothing. Buffy was about to give up when she saw a movement in front of her. She carefully made her way along the tunnel.  
  
"May I help you?" came a voice from in front of her.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"You answer my question, and I will think about answering yours."  
  
"That's not quite the way I was seeing things happen," said Buffy as she moved behind the figure. She was ready to pounce when the figure spoke again.  
  
"Buffy, Slayer, The Chosen One."  
  
"Who... Who are you?" whispered Buffy.  
  
"That is not important. The important thing is that you listen to me. Things are never all they seem. There is no new Slayer. The rumors are wrong. There is a new girl in town who is battling the forces of evil, but she is not a Slayer. You would do well to watch your back. You never know who might want to bury a knife in it."  
  
"Why do you cryptic people always have to talk in riddles? Can't you just say what it is you mean, and just leave it at that?"  
  
"Fine," said the hooded figure. She spun around and approached Buffy. She stepped up to the light and threw her hood back.  
  
"Darla!" exclaimed Buffy. "But… You're dead!"  
  
"Funny, I heard the same thing about you." Darla stepped back into the shadows. "The new girl is a vampire, not a Slayer."  
  
"You are lying," said Buffy.  
  
"What reason would I have to lie?"  
  
"Uh, you're evil! Why would you tell the truth?"  
  
"Oh, yeah. Good point. Just listen a minute, though. Auroura is a vampire. Drusilla sired her in France a hundred twenty-five years ago."  
  
"Yeah, Darla. Sure. Wanna try again, or should I just stake you now?"  
  
"Foolish girl! I have no reason to lie! I have nothing to gain!"  
  
"And, yet, here you are, telling me that someone I saw standing in sunlight earlier today was sired over a century ago. Well, I guess I should be thankful for the information."  
  
"What? You saw here in the sun? It has to be some sort of trick!" screamed Darla. She looked around quickly and then continued, in a quieter voice. "Look, I know that Auroura is a vampire. We have always been at odds with each other, since she was sired. When we encountered her in LA, I just wanted her to leave. When I found out she was coming to Sunnydale, I thought it would be my chance to get rid of her for good."  
  
"And, why exactly would you do that?"  
  
"Because she doesn't want the family to be reunited," answered Drusilla as she stepped out of the shadows. Buffy looked from Drusilla to Darla. Darla almost looked guilty. She turned away when Drusilla looked at her. Buffy found this to be very strange.  
  
"What is going on here? I die, and when I come back, everything has gone…wacky."  
  
"Oooh! Slayer is different! Changed forever," said Dru.  
  
"Dru! Shut up!" hissed Darla. Drusilla turned to Buffy.  
  
"It is true. She is different."  
  
"Dru, you can't just talk that way about the Slayer! She is gonna kill us! We have to get out of here!" She turned to look at Buffy, but the Slayer was no longer there. Darla quickly scanned the area, thinking that Buffy was getting ready to strike. There was no one around other than Dru.  
  
***  
  
Buffy slept fitfully that night, having dreams that caused her to question her abilities, and her reality. Finally, she gave up on sleep and decided to find some other way to keep herself occupied. She went downstairs and sat on the couch. Turning on the television, she began searching for something that would hold her interest. Instead, she fell asleep.  
  
The next morning, when Dawn came downstairs, she found Buffy sleeping soundly on the couch. Dawn sat on a chair next to her and just watched her. She couldn't believe that she had her sister back. Dawn grabbed the remote and turned off the TV. She stood up and went into the kitchen to prepare some breakfast. After fixing herself a bowl of cereal, she returned to the living room and sat down again. She wasn't certain when Buffy had gotten in the night before, so didn't want to wake her.  
  
Buffy sat up groggily and looked around. Dawn was sitting in a chair, staring at her. Dawn smiled at her, and Buffy smiled back. She wasn't sure what had happened. She couldn't remember what was real, and what had been a dream. Shaking her head, she stretched out and tried to stand up. Her legs were still asleep, and she fell back onto the couch.  
  
"Rough night?" asked Dawn.  
  
"Yeah. I don't know what happened. It was so weird."  
  
"Hm… Well, is there anything I can do?"  
  
"Yeah. You could tell me what happened yesterday. So much is fuzzy, and then, with the dreams I was having last night… I am not sure what's real anymore."  
  
"Well, um… What do you remember?"  
  
"I remember Glory, and fighting with her, and jumping into the portal in order to save you. I remember that I died. Weeks ago, in fact. And that someone called Beyoncé resurrected me. I know that I remember things I am not supposed to be able to remember. I just don't know how much of the patrolling last night was real. That's why I don't know if you can help."  
  
"Well, you could always ask Spike."  
  
"No, leave William out of this. I don't want hi to know."  
  
"William? What do you mean?"  
  
"Uh, nothing. I am not sure who I am anymore."  
  
"You're Buffy. The Slayer. I mean, aren't you?"  
  
"That's just is, Dawn. I don't know anymore." She looked at Dawn, who returned her gaze. After a few moments, Buffy asked: "Do we know anyone named Cecily?"  
  
"I don't think so, why?"  
  
"Because I have memories of her, and I don't think I am supposed to." Buffy jumped to her feet. "I have to go talk to Giles. Maybe he can help."  
  
"Okay. Do you want Beyoncé and I to come with you?"  
  
"I… Beyoncé? Is she here?"  
  
"Yeah. She's still sleeping though. Should I wake her up?"  
  
"No. That's okay. I'll just call and ask him if he can come over here. That way, I can still get some breakfast, we don't have to wake Beyoncé, and yet you can still be around when I talk to Giles." She picked up the phone and started dialing.  
  
***  
  
Auroura was nervous. She knew that she had to talk to Buffy, but she wasn't sure how she should bring it up. She wasn't a Slayer, but they all thought she was. Auroura wasn't sure she was going to be able to explain that in such a way that wouldn't upset them. Spike had told her that they would all understand, and she did trust him, but she also knew that he didn't know everything. Finally, she made up her mind that she had to do it, and knocked on the Slayer's front door.  
  
Dawn answered the door, and Auroura asked for Buffy. Dawn showed her in, and let her know that Buffy was upstairs getting dressed, and should be down in a few minutes. Dawn ran upstairs, and disappeared from sight. Auroura sat nervously on the couch to wait. While she was sitting there, she scanned the room. There was nothing extraordinary about it. For some reason, she had been expecting to see weapons all over the place.  
  
"Oh. Auroura, isn't it?" asked Buffy as she came down the stairs. Auroura looked up at her.  
  
"Uh, yeah. I came to uh…"  
  
"Oh! Your sheet! I forgot! I'll go get it for you," said Buffy as she turned and headed up the stairs.  
  
"No! I mean, that is not why I am here. I came to…tell you something."  
  
"Oh? What? Is it about vampires?"  
  
"No! Well, just one vampire, I suppose. It's just that… I mean…"  
  
"Okay. Well, I really don't have time for twenty questions, so…"  
  
"I'm sorry. Spike said…"  
  
"You know William? Uh, Spike?"  
  
"Yeah…"  
  
"You didn't stake him did you?"  
  
"Of course not! He's like a brother to me!" shouted Auroura. The look on Buffy's face told Auroura that her secret was out.  
  
"You… You really are a vampire, aren't you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"But, how? I mean, I saw you in the sunlight?"  
  
"It's a long story. Shortened, it goes like this: I was sired by Drusilla, and then left the fold. I spent a little over a century drifting in and out of Spike's life. I was captured by the government of my country and forced to undergo horrible experiments."  
  
"And that is supposed to explain everything?"  
  
"No, it is supposed to start the explanation. You see, some of the experiments… They… I am…"  
  
"Yes? What is it?"  
  
"I'm turning human. I think. I mean I don't need to feed on blood anymore. I eat and drink like humans. I have a conscience again. Temperatures are starting to become a bigger concern for me. I have to have oxygen to survive again. But…" She changed into her vampire guise. "I still have this to deal with." She shook her head, and returned to normal.  
  
Buffy's mouth opened in shock as she fell into the chair against which she had been leaning. She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. A vampire that could not only walk in the sun, but was going around killing vampires and other demons like a Slayer. And, she had seemed so nice. Buffy wondered if there had been any clue that she had just overlooked. Thinking back to their first encounter, there was nothing that Buffy felt indicated the presence of a vampire.  
  
"I'm not sure what to say," said Buffy.  
  
"It's weird. I know that. I just… Spike said that I should tell you, because the sooner you found out, the better you would handle it. I was so scared to tell anyone, but since I found out that Willow told you all that I was a Slayer, I had to tell you the truth. So, do you hate me now?"  
  
"I don't hate you. I am confused, and concerned. And not just about you. Your confession is just one more thing on a list that has grown ever longer since I returned. Even when I get some answers, I end up getting more questions. So, what's the deal with you and Spike?"  
  
"He's like my older brother. I used to have a crush on him, but that has long since changed to respect."  
  
"Good. I mean, it is nice that you and he are still friends."  
  
"Yeah. That's about the same reaction I got from him. What's going on between the two of you?"  
  
"I wish I knew! I mean…"  
  
"Well, it is quite obvious to me that the two of you need to get together and talk about your relationship. I think you both may have similar ideas about it."  
  
"Thanks. I think. I am just so confused. Too much has happened lately."  
  
"Tell me about it. I have lived a very long time, and the last few weeks have been the most hectic of all my life. Or afterlife. Or unlife. Whatever. I have just had to rethink about every theory I ever came up with, and have been forced to face down some nightmares, too."  
  
"I think we still have a lot in common, even though you aren't a Slayer."  
  
"Oh, definitely! I am so glad you aren't upset. I could really use a friend."  
  
"Me, too. Especially one who knows Spike. I mean, I could talk to my other friends about him, but they wouldn't understand."  
  
"I never had any friends before. There are a few vampires and demons that I keep in touch with, but usually it is more of a business-type relationship. I couldn't talk to them about my current situation."  
  
"Well, I am here if you wanna talk. And, I am sure that the others will listen, too. Unless you don't want them to know?"  
  
"Um… I am not sure. Willow seems really nice, but she thought I was a Slayer. Do you think they will be okay with it?"  
  
"Oh, yeah!" said Buffy as she tried to stifle her laughter. "Willow is a witch. She used to date a werewolf, and is now dating a fellow witch, Tara. Tara, up until her last birthday, was convinced that she was part demon herself. She wanted to conceal that fact from us, and was relieved to discover that it wouldn't have mattered to us either way. Xander is dating an ex-demon, Anya. We all know that our lives are different from everyone else's. I don't think they'll care that you are a vampire and not a Slayer. As long as you aren't trying to attack them!"  
  
"I see. Sounds like just the group of people to be with. They all accept Spike, from what I was told last night. He was at your little meeting."  
  
"Yeah. He is harmless now that he has that chip in his head."  
  
"Chip? What do you mean?"  
  
"He was captured a while ago by a group of military people studying the supernatural. They put a chip in his head that causes him pain if he hurts a human. Since then, he has changed quite a bit, and has sort of been accepted into our little enclave."  
  
"That's just weird."  
  
"Tell me about it! He has tried numerous times to kill us all!"  
  
"Well, I guess that is a bit weird, too. But, I was referring to the part about the chip in his head. It's weird because the same thing happened to me. It was part of those experiments the government made me endure. Fortunately, their experiments also made me what I am today, a vampire that no longer needs blood of any kind in order to survive."  
  
"What?" asked Dawn as she and Beyoncé stepped into the room. Buffy and Auroura gasped and stared at each other.  
  
***  
  
Spike was pacing back and forth, and had just stepped beside the door, when it flew open, and the sunshine made a yellow rectangle on the floor. Spike jumped and threw himself against the wall, even though he was already out of the sun. He somehow knew that it wasn't Buffy, and wondered for a moment who it might be. A shadow finally came into view, and Spike just stared. He had never seen such a creature. The thing in the doorway was obviously over seven feet tall, and wider than any demon that Spike had ever encountered. It had to turn sideways, and duck, just to get into the crypt. And, even with all of this, it was a tight fit.  
  
When his visitor was totally inside the crypt, Spike could see it better. It had four arms, two heads, and an undetermined number of legs, hidden beneath a very large cloak. There were quills all over the creature, and Spike had a suspicion that they might be poisonous. One head had glowing, red eyes that seemed to pierce everything in their sight. The mouth on this head seemed as though it had too many fangs, for the lips bulged out around them. No ears were visible on this head, though. The other head also had glowing eyes, but these were an icy blue. The mouth on this head was filled with what looked like needles, set row upon row.  
  
After it closed the door, it turned to look around. When it spotted Spike, he was filled with a tremendous feeling of dread. It spoke to him. Actually, it made some noises that Spike assumed was speech. When Spike didn't respond, the creature grabbed him and tossed him across the crypt. As he slid down the wall, the creature crossed the crypt, and grabbed him again, before he had even reached the floor.  
  
The creature lifted him above its head and, instead of throwing him again, slammed him head first into the floor. For just a second, Spike wondered if he was going to survive this creature's visit. Then, everything went black, and he knew nothing more.  
  
***  
  
Buffy looked around her living room at the group of people who had been assembled for this meeting. Giles was standing in the doorway, cleaning his glasses. Xander was sitting in an armchair with Anya in his lap. Willow and Tara were on the couch. Dawn and Beyoncé were sitting on the floor beside the couch, giggling and whispering. Auroura was standing next to Buffy, looking about as nervous as anyone could possibly get. The only one missing was Spike.  
  
"Well, I guess we are ready to start," announced Buffy. "We have a lot to talk about, and I want to make sure that we aren't going to have to tell the same things over and over. Hopefully, by the time we are done, everyone will have the same information, and the questions that we all have will finally be answered. Now, this is Auroura, and she is going to start."  
  
As Auroura began talking, Buffy wondered how everyone was going to handle knowing everything that would be revealed here today. Granted, they all knew a few details that no one else did, and she was certain that she was not the only one who wouldn't be telling the others everything. There were some things that the others just didn't need to know. She was not certain why some of these things had happened, but knew that she was not ready to have all of them know that she was now in love with Spike.  
  
"Wow," said Xander when Auroura had finished speaking. Everyone else just nodded.  
  
"Okay," said Buffy. "Beyoncé, I think you should go next. Tell us everything you think might be useful or needed to deal with the current situation."  
  
"Well, I am not certain what might fall into that category," began Dawn's friend. "I just cast a spell. I don't really know what else is even going on. I know that the spell was successful, but something seems to have gone wrong. It could be just because you are a Slayer. As far as I know, this spell has never been performed on a Slayer before, so we have no basis for comparison."  
  
"That sounds fair, I guess," said Buffy.  
  
"Buffy? What's wrong?" asked Giles. The concern in his voice caused everyone to look first at him, and then to Buffy. At first, she couldn't speak. She didn't know what to say. She couldn't tell them that she thought her soul had been combined with the soul of someone else. She stared into space for a moment.  
  
"I…" she said. "I am not certain. Things are…weird. I can't really explain it. I know that I have knowledge that I am not supposed to have, and I have no explanation for it. No one else seems to have an explanation for it, either. That just makes everything harder."  
  
"But…" began Dawn. Everyone turned to look at her. "Um… What could have gone wrong? I mean, specifically. The spell obviously worked."  
  
"It just didn't come out exactly the way we thought," declared Tara. "It's not really that uncommon. And, there are so many different things that could explain what happened. The ingredients used, the amount of time that Buffy was…gone, the direction of the wind…"  
  
"So, in other words, we may never know what caused the spell to turn out the way it did? I can't accept that! There has to be a reason for this, and I have to figure out what it is!" Buffy was yelling, close to hysterics. Everyone stared at her. She closed her eyes and tried to calm down. "I don't just want to know. I need to know. There are things that you guys don't know. Things I haven't been able to tell you." She was starting to cry, but couldn't stop the tears from streaking down her face.  
  
"Buffy?" squeaked Dawn. There was concern and fear in her voice. Buffy took a deep breath and held it, trying in vain to regain control of herself. She felt an arm around her waist, and let herself be led to a chair. When she was seated, she opened her eyes, and was not surprised to see Xander staring down at her, his face a mask of concern and fear. She looked around and saw that everyone else was wearing a similar expression. Dawn was standing beside her, obviously close to tears.  
  
"I didn't want to do this in front of all of you," explained Buffy. "But, I guess I should. I don't know why, but besides knowing that I was dead, there are other things in my head that just aren't right. I am trying to deal with things, but… I can't."  
  
"Buffy, we're your friends," said Willow. "You can tell us anything."  
  
"But that's just it. I can't. There are things that you guys shouldn't know."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Like the fact that she is in love with Spike, probably," answered Auroura. Everyone glanced quickly at her. Then they all returned their gazes to Buffy. Buffy nodded.  
  
"It's true. But, that's only part of it."  
  
"More? Like what?" demanded Xander.  
  
"Like… Like the fact that I can recite the last poem he wrote, even though I never saw it."  
  
"Spike writes poetry?" asked Dawn.  
  
"No, William does…er, did. Before he was sired, I mean. And, I know the life story of a girl named Cecily, whom I had never heard of before, but whom Spike knew."  
  
"Weird," said Anya. Everyone turned to look at her. She shrugged her shoulders and looked back to Buffy. "You were saying?"  
  
"I was saying that I need answers, and that this is not getting me any. I am going to go for a walk now, and hopefully I can get something worked out along the way. She stood up and left, while everyone just stared after her.  
  
***  
  
As she stepped off of the porch, Buffy knew that there was only one place for her to go. She didn't know if she would actually get the answers that she sought, but she had to try. Walking along the streets of Sunnydale, she felt more and more certain that she really would find the answers. When she arrived at the cemetery, she did not hesitate. She rushed straight to her mother's grave and knelt beside it.  
  
"Mom? I don't know if you can hear me, but I really need some help. No one here seems to be able to do anything for me, so I thought… Maybe you could?"  
  
Silence filled the air. Buffy remained where she was, her senses trained to make out even the slightest anomaly around her. The wind picked up, and clouds covered the sun. Buffy wrapped her arms around herself and stood up. She looked around one last time, and then turned to leave.  
  
"Buffy?" asked Joyce from behind her. When Buffy turned, she saw her mother sitting on top of the tombstone, looking at her. Startled, Buffy took a hesitant step away from the apparition. After a moment, she looked into her mother's eyes, and tears fell from her own.  
  
"Mom?" she whispered. The woman on the tombstone smiled and nodded. Buffy was certain that it was her mother, and she rushed forward to hug her. Joyce accepted the hug, and held Buffy close for a couple of minutes. Buffy couldn't believe that her mother was really there. Finally, Joyce tenderly pushed her away, and looked down at her.  
  
"I only have a short amount of time. I shouldn't be here at all, so please, we have to hurry."  
  
"What? But… I thought you were back."  
  
"No, dear. I am dead, and there is no spell that can resurrect me. However, I am able to visit for a few moments. I know that there is a lot that you wish to ask, so please hurry, before I have to go." The sadness in her mother's eyes told Buffy that she should ask her most pressing questions first.  
  
"Well," said Buffy as she wiped the tears from her face. "I was wondering about my relationship with Spike. I… I think I love him."  
  
"You do. It isn't a bad thing, Buffy."  
  
"But… I love Angel!"  
  
"You can love more than one person, Buffy. You do love Angel. And you always will, but you also love Spike, and you can actually have a lasting, meaningful relationship with him, as well. I know it is hard to accept, but this is part of what Angel meant when he said that you had to move on."  
  
"Then, why can I remember him being mortal?" She was starting to cry again. Her mother hugged her.  
  
"I think it is to show you that you must move on, even though it hurts. You went on with your life after I was gone. You must do the same now that you know that, for all intents and purposes, Angel is, too. He is not dead, like I am, but he is inaccessible. Spike however, is not only accessible, but he loves you just as much as Angel ever did."  
  
"Really?" asked Buffy as she pushed herself back from her mother.  
  
"Of course, Buffy. Why do you think he has watched over Dawn? Why do you think he sticks close to you, and helps you whenever you ask?"  
  
"But… What about Cecily? I had never heard of her before, but the other night, I was her!"  
  
"Yes… You see, you are the re-incarnation of Cecily, and when Xander and Anya interrupted the spell to bring you back, her consciousness mixed more readily with yours. It was all meant to happen, Buffy. You and Spike were meant to be together, and now that Auroura is here, you can finally be together, the way you were meant to be."  
  
"Auroura? What do you mean? What has she got to do with this?"  
  
"Buffy… I have to go soon. Get Auroura and find Spike! It is important that you do this."  
  
"Mom? What's happening?"  
  
"I have to go. Spike is in trouble, Buffy! You must get Auroura and Beyoncé and find Spike! Hurry, or all will be lost!"  
  
The last word hung in the air, as Joyce slowly faded into nothing. Buffy stood there for a moment, dumbfounded. The wind died to nothing. The clouds moved out from in front of the sun, and the heat warmed her. She was finally ready for action. She turned on her heels and sprinted out of the graveyard.  
  
***  
  
The rest of the gang had moved to the magic shop after Buffy's abrupt departure from the Summers house. Anya was helping customers, as usual. Giles was doing the books. Tara and Willow were working on some sort of spell, and being very secretive about it. Dawn and Beyoncé were sitting at the table, whispering and giggling, like girls their age were known to do. Xander was looking at Auroura.  
  
"So, how old are you? I mean… Not your actual age… How old were you when you were sired?" Xander asked Auroura.  
  
"I was sixteen," explained the vampire. She sat down, and looked up at Xander with a great sorrow reflected in her eyes. "It's my own fault. I was stupid. My parents had arranged a marriage for me, and I was…resistant to the idea. I ran away." Tears poured down her face.  
  
"You don't have to talk about this," offered Xander. He rested his hand on her shoulder, and she smiled at him. It was a smile filled with remorse, and Xander's heart broke upon seeing.  
  
"It's okay. I have never told anyone about it. I guess it is past time for me to discuss it. I was a stupid little girl, and I have spent over a century wondering what might have been. I never even had the chance to grow up." She was looking down at her lap, but Xander could see the tears dripping off of her face. He hugged her.  
  
"It's okay. You're among friends, now," he assured her.  
  
"What are you doing?" demanded Anya.  
  
"Shh!" hissed Xander. Anya looked more closely and discovered why Xander was holding the vampire. She looked at him and smiled. Then she turned around and headed back to the counter. That is when Buffy burst into the shop.  
  
"Buffy?" said Willow as she looked up.  
  
"What's wrong?" asked Giles. At that, everyone turned to look at the Slayer. She fell to her knees.  
  
"Mom…"  
  
Dawn jumped to her feet and rushed to Buffy. She knelt beside her sister as everyone gathered around them. Giles placed his hand upon Buffy's shoulder, and she looked up at the crowd of people surrounding her. She saw that Auroura had been crying, but looked just as concerned for her as the others. She stood up and walked unsteadily over to the table. She sat in a chair and waited for the others to get settled.  
  
"When I left the house… I went to the graveyard. Mom… She was there, and she said… Spike… Trouble."  
  
"Spike is causing trouble?" asked Anya.  
  
"No!" yelled Buffy as she slammed her fists down on the table. "Spike is in trouble! And I need help to find him. That's what she said!"  
  
"But—" began Xander. Buffy's glare cut him off.  
  
"You don't know everything. None of you do. I love him."  
  
"What?" asked all of the people gathered around her, with the exception of Auroura, who was smiling now.  
  
"I said I love him. Please don't ask me to explain. I can't. At least not yet." She stood up and shoved her chair back. It fell over as she turned to face Beyoncé and Auroura. She pointed to the two of them.  
  
"You are going with me. We are going back to the graveyard. We will start at his crypt and see if we can find out where to go from there."  
  
"Okay," said Auroura.  
  
"Um… Alright," added Beyoncé.  
  
"We're coming, too!" exclaimed Willow as she grabbed Tara's arm. Tara nodded.  
  
"Me, too," said Giles.  
  
"And so are we," said Xander as he wrapped his arm around Anya's waist.  
  
"Fine. I don't have time to argue. I've wasted too much time already. Let's go!" exclaimed Buffy as she turned and left the shop. The others followed her to the crypt. They all stopped short when they saw that the door of the crypt had been torn off of the hinges. Buffy cautiously stepped up to the doorway, motioning to the others, warning them to stay behind. She looked in each direction before she entered the crypt, and disappeared from the sight of the others.  
  
***  
  
"No!" they heard her scream. They all rushed inside the crypt, in time to see Buffy being thrown across it. They all stared in horror as the creature turned to look at them. Auroura noticed Spike's body and rushed to it. She threw herself across his body and started looking around frantically for a weapon. Beyoncé waved her arm as she said something that none of the others understood. The demon froze. Buffy stood up and rushed over to Spike. She picked Auroura up and moved her to the side. She dropped to his side, turned him over, and held him to her chest. She was crying.  
  
"No! Spike!" she screamed. He didn't respond.  
  
Giles was the first to react. He stepped closer to Buffy, but froze when she looked up at him. There was hatred in her eyes, and Giles could see the cloud of insanity behind that hatred.  
  
"Buffy," he said. "We should get out of here. I don't know how long the spell will last."  
  
"I don't care!" screamed Buffy. "Nothing matters anymore!"  
  
"Okay," said Anya. "I can see why Beyoncé had to be here, but what I don't understand is why Auroura was supposed to be here."  
  
"What?" asked Buffy. There was a spark of hope in both her voice and eyes. Giles noticed that the cloud of insanity seemed to drift farther away.  
  
"That's right," said Tara.  
  
"Auroura, what do you think?" asked Willow.  
  
"I… I don't know," said Auroura.  
  
"Her blood!" shouted Xander. Everyone turned to look at him. He shrank back. "Never mind. Just for—"  
  
"No! You're right! My blood could help him…"  
  
"But?" asked Buffy.  
  
"But… I don't know if he will have to drain me…"  
  
"But you're a vampire!" said Anya.  
  
"Anya!" hissed Xander.  
  
"No, he's right," explained Buffy. "She can't be killed, because she is not alive."  
  
"No! She is!" exclaimed Xander. Everyone stared at him again. "She is. I could feel her heart beat when I hugged her! She is alive!"  
  
"What? How?" asked Auroura. Buffy sat where she was, unable to think of what to do next. Giles stepped over to Auroura, lifted her from the floor of the crypt, and grabbed her wrist, checking for a pulse. The look on his face explained before he did.  
  
"She has a pulse! It's… It's not possible, but yet it is there!"  
  
"That's it!" exclaimed Buffy. "You have to let him drink, but we will make sure that he doesn't drain you completely. Then we will get you to a hospital, so you can get your blood back."  
  
"I… I don't… I'm scared," confessed the vampire.  
  
"Believe me, I understand," said Buffy as she reached out and took Auroura's hand. When their eyes met, Auroura nodded.  
  
"I'm ready." Buffy moved away from Spike, while Auroura stepped closer. She knelt beside him, but then looked up at Buffy. "He's…asleep."  
  
"Don't worry about that," said Beyoncé. She waved her wand as she spoke another phrase that no one understood. Spike opened his eyes and looked at the vampire holding him.  
  
"Spike," said Auroura. "You have to drink from me."  
  
Spike got a shocked look on his face and turned his head away from her. He looked at Buffy, who smiled shyly at him. He stared at her for a moment, and then looked back at Auroura. He shook his head, and then laid his head back on the floor. Auroura shook him gently and raised his head to her neck.  
  
"You have to!"  
  
"I can't…" he whispered.  
  
"You can. You have to," said Auroura.  
  
"No! I am not a monster. Let me die in peace!" he hissed. Buffy knelt beside him again.  
  
"Spike," she began. "You have to. Auroura is alive. Her blood can save you. Please, drink from her."  
  
"No! I won't! I want to die."  
  
"Spike, you can't just give up!"  
  
"And why not?"  
  
"Because I love you!" He looked at her, and the surprise on his face was easy to recognize. She nodded, and leaned over him. They kissed. "Now, drink!"  
  
"I can't."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because it's Auroura!" Auroura almost dropped him in her surprise. She stared down at him, and a tear slid down her cheek and dropped onto his face. He looked up at her and smiled.  
  
"Just let me go…" He dropped his head to the side again, closing his eyes. Buffy looked at Giles for help. Giles shrugged his shoulders, indicating that he had no idea what to do. Buffy glanced around, and then laid her head on Spike's chest.  
  
"Then kill us both," she said, loud enough for everyone to hear.  
  
"What? Buffy, no!" exclaimed Dawn.  
  
"If that's the only way that we can be together, then that is what must be done."  
  
"Buf—" began Dawn. Beyoncé grabbed Dawn's arm, and shook her head, indicating that Dawn should be quiet.  
  
"Spike, you can't hurt her. I won't let you. I have powers that you have never even dreamed of. I won't let you harm Auroura. You will both survive. Now, you must drink, so we can get out of here. That demon isn't going to be frozen forever, you know!" Beyoncé told him.  
  
He looked up, and then nodded. He grabbed Auroura by the shoulders and pulled her down to him. She went willingly. He sank his fangs into her flesh and drank. He could tell that the blood was different from any he had ever had before, and he like it. He pushed Buffy away and pulled Auroura even closer to him. Auroura whimpered, and Spike bit into her even harder. Then, he pulled his fangs out of her and pushed her away.  
  
"Take her, quickly, before I drain her!" he hissed. Buffy grabbed Auroura and turned to the door. Beyoncé was waiting by the door, and she touched the girl in Buffy's arms with her wand. The wound on the girl's neck disappeared, and she looked up at Buffy, smiling. Buffy set her down and turned back to Spike. He was getting to his feet. She went over to help him, and they all went to leave. Unfortunately, the sun was still shining, and when Spike stepped into it, he started to burn.  
  
"What? I thought that her blood would make him alive again," said Anya.  
  
"It will, but it is going to take time. Buffy, you Spike, Xander and Anya go through the tunnels underneath the crypt. The rest of us will meet you at the shop," explained Auroura. No one argued. They just followed her instructions and headed off in separate directions. Once Buffy and the others were safely in the tunnels, Auroura grabbed the lid of the sarcophagus and tried to move it.  
  
"My strength… It's gone," she said in wonderment. Giles and the others helped her, and they moved the lid of the sarcophagus over the entrance to the tunnel. Then, after they left the crypt, Beyoncé cast a spell that caused the crypt to collapse.  
  
"That won't hold that demon forever. And, when he gets out, he won't be happy," explained the young witch.  
  
"What is it?" asked Xander.  
  
"It is a Kraagnokkyl demon."  
  
"Say what?" asked Dawn.  
  
"Look, it is going to be free from that spell in just a few minutes. We need to get back to the magic shop and gather the required ingredients for a spell. We only have one chance to get rid of it."  
  
"So, you know how to kill it?" asked Giles.  
  
"Of course not. They're invincible. I said we could get rid of it, not kill it."  
  
"But… How can we get rid of it if we don't kill it?" asked Dawn.  
  
"By sending it back to the dimension from which it came. But, like I said, we only have one chance. The spell only works once for each demon. If anything goes wrong…"  
  
"It's stuck here forever," finished Tara.  
  
"Exactly. That's why I must do this alone. I have experience with the spell, and can't afford to be distracted."  
  
***  
  
Buffy, Spike, Xander and Anya were making their way through the tunnel. Spike seemed to be getting stronger with every step, and was soon walking without help. When they reached the entrance to the shop, he turned to face Buffy. Buffy stared at him for a moment. Xander and Anya stepped past them and went through the entrance, into the basement of the magic shop. Spike and Buffy remained in the tunnel for a moment.  
  
"You love me?" asked Spike.  
  
"Yes, I do. I really do. I am glad that you are still around." The two of them kissed. After the kiss had ended, they made their way into the magic shop, to wait for the others to get there also.  
  
When they came up into the basement, they heard a crash in the shop above them. Anya and Xander looked to Buffy and Spike. No one spoke. They heard a similar crash, and Buffy made her way cautiously up the stairs. She opened the door to the basement and peeked into the shop. A vampire was going through bottles on the shelf behind the counter. Buffy glanced around, to see if the vampire was alone. It was. The thing Buffy couldn't figure out, though, was how the vampire got there. The sun was still shining outside.  
  
She stepped away from the basement door and headed toward the front door. It was still closed and locked. She looked around, and couldn't find any evidence that the vampire had been wearing a blanket, or anything similar. Finally, she cleared her throat. The vampire turned to face her.  
  
"May I help you?" she asked.  
  
"What? How? Why are you here?" asked the vampire. Buffy shook her head, unsure she heard what the vampire had said.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"You… You are the Slayer, aren't you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well, you are supposed to be dead."  
  
"Oh. That. Well, I am not dead, as you can see. Now, what are you doing here?"  
  
"Me? Oh. Well, I… I am looking for some ingredients for a spell." The vampire cast his eyes downward, and as he did so, Spike stepped out of the basement and moved to the counter, ducking out of sight.  
  
"A spell? What kind of spell?"  
  
"We are going to resurrect Glory!" screeched the vampire as he leapt across the counter and landed between Spike and Buffy. Buffy just stood where she was, smiling at the vampire. His scowl turned into a look of surprise, and then he exploded into dust, as Spike staked him from behind. Buffy's smile faded. She stared at Spike, who smiled back at her.  
  
"What did you do that for?" exclaimed Buffy.  
  
"What? I helped you! I staked the vampire."  
  
"The vampire that could have given us a bit of information! If there is a group out there trying to resurrect Glory, then it would have been nice to find out more about them!"  
  
"Oh," replied Spike as he hung his head.  
  
"It's okay. We'll figure something out. We always do. Just… Try not to be so quick to kill. Sometimes we need to get information from them," comforted Buffy as she wrapped her arms around him. She leaned in to kiss him.  
  
"Is it safe?" asked Xander.  
  
"Yes," sighed Buffy as she stepped back from Spike and turned to look at Xander and Anya. Xander was carrying a stick, and Anya was standing behind him.  
  
"What happened?" asked Anya.  
  
"There was a vampire. Spike staked it. No biggy," explained Buffy. Spike looked up at her. She could see the question in his eyes. She shook her head slightly, just enough so that he could see. The look in her eyes told him that she would bring up the issue of Glory later. Xander tossed the stick back down into the basement and closed the door. He and Anya walked over and sat down at the table. Buffy motioned to Spike, and then she went over to sit down as well.  
  
As Spike was sitting down, the others came in. Giles went immediately to the shelves, followed by Willow and Tara. Auroura sat next to Spike, and gave an awkward smile. Dawn and Beyoncé were giggling again, as they did so often. Dawn leaned against the counter, and Beyoncé stood next to her. A few moments later, Giles, Willow and Tara returned with loads of books. Beyoncé turned to face the others.  
  
"What's all this?" she asked as she gestured to the table.  
  
"Research," groaned Xander.  
  
"For what?" asked the young witch.  
  
"About the demon. We need to know how to deal with it," said Giles.  
  
"Actually, we don't," said Beyoncé. I already know the spell. I have used it before. Remember, I am not as young and innocent as I appear. All we need to do is gather a couple of ingredients. I'll get them." She stepped behind the counter and began sifting through the jars on the shelves. Giles, uncertain what to do, glanced at Willow and Tara. The girls shrugged and turned to take the books back.  
  
"Wait," said Buffy. They all turned to face her, including Beyoncé. "We may still need the books."  
  
"Oh? What for?" Giles wanted to know.  
  
"Um… What happened to Glory? I mean, I've been gone for a while, and I just wondered if she could be behind all of this."  
  
"Not bloody likely!" exclaimed Giles. Everyone turned to look at him. "Um, I mean, I don't think so."  
  
"Why?" began Buffy. "Because she's dead?" Now everyone turned to face Buffy. "There was a vampire here when we got back. Before he was staked, he mentioned something about resurrecting Glory. What happened to her?"  
  
"Ben died the same day you did, Buffy," explained Giles. "And with him, Glory. I never thought about her being resurrected." He turned to face Beyoncé. "Is such a thing even possible?"  
  
"I… am not certain. I need more information about the situation."  
  
"Glory was created in a hell dimension. She then became too powerful, and her creators began to fear her. They decided to banish her, to Earth. Somehow, she was forced to share the body of a human male. She wanted to use the Key to open the portal to her dimension, so she could return to her home. Unfortunately, the opening of such a portal would create a complete breakdown of the walls between all dimensions. Buffy jumped into the portal as it was opening, saving the world, but killing herself in the process. Ben, the human male who was host to Glory, died the same day as Buffy," Giles told her.  
  
"Hmmm… Ben died, you say? So, Ben was in control of the body when it expired?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Uh-oh. That could be a problem. If Glory had been in control when it expired, she would be gone forever. However, if Ben was in control, then there is a possibility that Glory's… Uh, essence is still out there somewhere. If it is, then, in a way she could be resurrected. If her essence were to be combined with that of another human, then she could return. This could be very serious."  
  
"How serious?" squeaked Dawn.  
  
"Well, Glory might decide that she still needs to open that portal, and, since she will have the memories of her earlier incarnation, she may be interested in getting revenge. Which means that all of you are in serious danger."  
  
"But only if they can combine her essence with another human, though, right?" asked Dawn. She was shaking. Buffy walked over to her and grabbed her by the shoulders.  
  
"Dawn, listen to me. We will not let this happen. We know that they still need at least one thing to finish their spell, or whatever. We'll just make sure that they don't get what they are after. Now, we have two things we need to get done. Beyoncé, I want you to get whatever you need to send that demon back to whatever dimension it came from. Take Giles, Xander, and Anya to a place to perform the ritual. Willow, I need you and Tara to stay here and make sure that no one gets in to steal anything. Auroura, I am afraid that you will need to stay here, too. Dawn, you will be safest here, with the others. Spike and I will go out and try to find out more about this group trying to resurrect Glory."  
  
"Actually," said Beyoncé, "the back room here will work to perform the ritual. It will be safer that way, too. We will all be here together while you and Spike are out. And, it will give the shop a lot more protection."  
  
"Good plan. So, everyone know what they are going to be doing?" asked Buffy. Everyone nodded. "Good. Come on, Spike, we have a lot to get done."  
  
"Um, Buffy," whispered Dawn.  
  
"Yes, Dawn?"  
  
"Well, it's about Spike. If he is turning back to a human, maybe he shouldn't be out there," she suggested.  
  
"Oh. I hadn't thought about that. Auroura, how long did it take for you to become human?"  
  
"I don't know for certain. I don't know how long it's been since the last things were injected. I know that I have been out of that place for three months though. However…"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, it may work differently for him, because I am now completely human."  
  
"Oh." Buffy turned to look at Spike. He smiled weakly and nodded slightly.  
  
"I'm going with you," he told her. She smiled, and then nodded.  
  
"Okay, that settles it. Let's get started, okay?" She and Spike went to the basement, to exit through the tunnel. Xander and Giles followed, so as to be able to block the entrance as soon as Buffy and Spike were on their way. As Giles and Xander made their way back upstairs, they exchanged a glance that said more than any words could. They were both worried, and with good reason.  
  
***  
  
Buffy and Spike made their way through the tunnels to an abandoned warehouse. Once they were inside the warehouse, Buffy grabbed Spike's arm and made him stop. He turned to face her. She looked up into his face, tears streaming down her own. Spike jumped with surprise when he saw her. Then, he carefully reached out and wrapped his arms around her. She gently pushed him away.  
  
"No, Spike. Not now. We have to find out who or what is responsible for all of this, and eliminate them."  
  
"Buffy? What if it is a human?"  
  
"It doesn't matter! I don't care! I will find, and stop, whoever or whatever is responsible. If it means killing a human, then that is what I will do. I am not letting them bring Glory back! I can't! If she comes back…"  
  
"Buffy, we will stop it from happening."  
  
"How? The last time, it took me killing myself to stop her! I don't want to die! Not even to save the world. Again." She almost fell, but Spike caught her. He carefully sat down and let her lean against him.  
  
"It's okay. Whatever happens, we can face it together." She stopped sobbing and looked up at him.  
  
"We were working together last time, too. And they still got Dawn. That man cut her, and I wasn't able to stop it! I had to die to save everyone else! It isn't fair! All I have ever wanted was to be a normal girl! Now, I am not only the Slayer, but also the resurrected Slayer. They all expect me to know what to do, and I haven't got the slightest idea! Now, I am out here in a warehouse trying to find a mysterious group… Or, for all we know it could be a single person… Or thing, even. I don't even know where to start! My backup is a vampire that is going to become human again, without us ever knowing when. And, since the sun is still shining, we can't even go out to start the search! If I fail this time…"  
  
"You won't fail. I promise." Spike stared down at her, and his heart ached to see the pain in her eyes. And, behind the pain was a look he had seen more times than he cared to remember. There was fear behind that pain, and that fear was close to hysteria.  
  
"You don't know that! No one knows!" She stood up and went to a window. Spike stood up, walked to her, and stopped short. He was afraid to step into the sunlight from the window. He could see Buffy shaking, trying to hold herself in an effort to steady her nerves. He knew she was crying, and knew that he wanted to do anything to help her. He reached out to her, and as soon as the sunlight touched his hand, it caught fire. He immediately pulled it back and patted it out.  
  
"Buffy…" He wasn't sure what he should say to her. Finally, he turned away and stepped deeper into the shadows to wait for nightfall. Buffy just stood at the window, crying.  
  
***  
  
When Giles and Xander stepped out of the basement, they discovered that Willow, Tara and Beyoncé had begun preparations for a spell. It was strange to see a girl of fourteen instructing college girls. Xander and Giles headed to the back room so that they could block the entrances and exits. They weren't in there for very long when there was a blinding flash of light from the front of the store. They rushed back into the room they had just left.  
  
"What's going on?" cried Giles.  
  
"We are setting things up for the spell. What's your problem?" demanded Anya.  
  
"But, what's with all of this junk? It shouldn't be necessary for the spell."  
  
It isn't, but there isn't enough room in the back for it is the spell is going to be done there. Beyoncé said she needs some space to perform the ritual. Right now, she is setting up wards around the shop, to give us warning if something should attempt to come after us."  
  
"Okay. What else needs to be done?"  
  
"Um… I don't know. Go ask Beyoncé. She is the one who is responsible for all of this," said Anya as she gestured at the piles of things in the store. She set the items she had been carrying on the counter and started sorting through them. Giles looked at her for a moment, uncertain what to do, and then he headed to the back room to speak to Beyoncé.  
  
"Okay," Beyoncé was saying. "Tara, could you set those candles on the points of the pentagram. Willow, I need you to stay by that door and make sure that I am not disturbed. This ritual is very particular, and if anything should go wrong…" She let the sentence hang.  
  
"Um, Beyoncé?" asked Giles.  
  
"Yes, Giles?"  
  
"What can I do to help?"  
  
"Stay out of the way. I am ready to start. Please do not go near the pentagram, no matter what happens. I would hate to send one of you to the other dimension." She turned to Tara, who had just lit the last of the candles. "Thank you Tara."  
  
Tara and Giles stood by the door to the store, while Willow kept guard over the back door. They all watched Beyoncé with intense interest as she stepped into the pentagram and began chanting. She slowly began to levitate, as the flames of the candles grew to three feet tall. The flames turned green, casting eerie shadows about the room. Beyoncé screamed in pain, and Giles stepped forward. Tara grabbed his arm and pulled him back. When he turned to look at her, she shook her head and pointed.  
  
As Giles watched, the demon from the crypt materialized in the center of the pentagram, below the floating witch. Flames shot out from the candles and enveloped the creature. Beyoncé screamed again, and a horrible sound escaped from the demon. Giles tore himself from Tara's grip and moved forward once again, only to be knocked backwards by some unseen force. He sat up and shook his head. He turned to face Willow, and she frowned at him as she lowered her arm. He turned his attention back to the center of the room.  
  
Beyoncé cried out again, and was thrown out of the pentagram. She hit the wall with a sickening thud and slid down tot eh floor. The flames around the demon shot up into the air, and the creature disappeared. The flames went out, and the room seemed oddly dark, despite the fact that the overhead lights were still on. Willow, Tara and Giles rushed to Beyoncé's side, hoping that she was still alive.  
  
***  
  
The sun caused the window to appear to glow with red light as it slipped below the horizon. Buffy watched it go, and then turned to Spike, who had stepped closer to her. She wasn't certain what she should say to him, or if she should even say anything at all. They both had a lot to deal with, and neither was certain what the next step should be. Finally, Buffy spoke.  
  
"Spike, we have to figure out what is going on, and take care of it. I hope I can depend on you. We can't let our feelings for each other get in the way. If you have any problems with that, then you will just have to leave. I can't afford to be distracted right now."  
  
"Buffy, I am here to help. If I didn't want to help, I wouldn't have come with you in the first place. So, what do we do first?"  
  
"First? Well, first we have to get out of this warehouse and… I don't know. Look for clues or something. I really wish you hadn't killed that vampire so quickly."  
  
"Yeah… Well, sorry about that. Maybe we could check out some local demon haunts and see what we can come up with?"  
  
"Yeah! That sounds like a good idea! I am so glad you are here. I am having trouble thinking straight. So, where should we start?"  
  
"Hmmm…. I know of a nest of vamps not far from here. Perhaps we could start there and just work our way through town?"  
  
"Okay. That's our plan. Lead the way."  
  
"Um. Okay," said Spike as he stepped around Buffy and walked out of the warehouse. He led her to an abandoned house, which she recognized as the same place where she had discovered the truth about Riley. She somehow wasn't surprised to discover that there were vampires staying there again.  
  
As they entered, Spike motioned for Buffy to stay behind him. She shrugged and obeyed, not wanting to fight. As they made their way through the building, the noticed that there were a few demons mixed in with the vampires. Buffy grabbed Spike's sleeve and pointed at a vampire, which she thought she recognized. He looked in the direction she pointed and nodded. They made their way over to it.  
  
"Harmony? What are you doing here?" asked Spike.  
  
"Spike? Is it really you?" she responded. Then, she caught sight of Buffy, and shrank back. "Why is she here," she hissed.  
  
"Harm, it's okay," said Spike as he reached out and grabbed Harmony's arms. "She's here as a friend right now. We need your help."  
  
"What do you mean? She's supposed to be dead, and why would I believe that she is here as a friend? Why would she ever need my help?"  
  
"You can believe that she won't kill you, even if you don't believe anything else!" hissed Spike.  
  
"Oh? Why? Because you said so?"  
  
"Because you saved the life of her sister!"  
  
"What?" demanded Buffy. She looked at Harmony with a look of shock on her face. Harmony dropped her gaze, still ashamed that she had done something heroic.  
  
"It's true. I did save her. But it was an accident!"  
  
"Whatever. Look Harmony, we heard a rumor that there is a group somewhere that wants to resurrect Glory. We need to get as much information about them as we can, so that we can stop them," explained Spike.  
  
"But, I don't have any information. I don't know anything about that."  
  
"However, you did know that one of Glory's minions was going to kill Dawn. Perhaps you can find out some information? That's all we're asking."  
  
"Well, I suppose I could. But I can't make any promises."  
  
"All we ask is that you try, and if you find out anything, make sure we are made aware of it also."  
  
"Okay, I can do that. As long as you both promise that you won't tell anyone I saved Dawn."  
  
"Deal," said Buffy. She grabbed Spike by the arm and pulled him away. Harmony pulled herself away from Spike so that she would not be forced to go along.  
  
"Why didn't anyone tell me?" demanded Buffy as they stepped back outside. Spike turned to face her.  
  
"And, just exactly when would something like that have come up?"  
  
"Oh, right. But still… That is something I should have been told!"  
  
"Why? Does it really matter?"  
  
"I… I suppose not. It's just weird. Harmony saved Dawn. She is the one who kidnapped her before!"  
  
"Well, things have changed. You of all people should know that." He turned down an alley. "Come on, there's a place I would like to check out."  
  
Buffy followed him into the alley, thankful that someone else was in the lead, that all she had to do was follow. As they walked down the alley, they heard a commotion. They stepped into the shadows and waited to see what would happen. A man ran frantically into the alley, and they could tell that he was being chased. He ducked into the shadows near them, and disappeared. A few seconds later, two vampires entered the alley.  
  
"Where'd he go?" asked the first one.  
  
"He has to be down here somewhere. Let's start looking," hissed the other.  
  
They began moving things about, trying to locate their prey. Suddenly, Spike stepped out of the shadows. Buffy gasped, but didn't make a move to join him. She was very surprised by his actions, but she was also curious to see what Spike was going to do. As the two vampires focused their attention on Spike, Buffy noticed a movement out of the corner of her eye.  
  
"What's going on?" asked Spike.  
  
"We are searching for something. It doesn't concern you," hissed the second vampire. The other vampire just stood around, searching the shadows. Suddenly, he leapt through the air and landed on the other side of Spike. He reached into the shadows and jerked someone out of them. It was Buffy, who immediately began fighting.  
  
The other vampire jumped on Spike, and the two of them wrestled. Spike forced the other vamp to the ground and then staked him. He turned to look at Buffy, who was just standing in the alley, waiting for him. He walked over to her, and she held out her hand, motioning for him to stop. Then, she pointed up to the top of one of the buildings. Spike looked up and discovered that the buildings were lined with vampires. He took a step back and prepared for the fight as the vampires jumped down into the alley.  
  
***  
  
Dawn, Anya and Xander all rushed into the back room, and immediately headed to the fallen Beyoncé. Dawn pushed everyone else out of the way and knelt beside her friend. She grabbed the other girl's arms and pulled her to a sitting position. Once the young witch was sitting, Dawn shook her slightly, trying to wake her. Nothing happened. Dawn shook her harder.  
  
"Beyoncé?" she cried. There was still no response. Dawn looked up at the others, tears welling up in her eyes. Tara put her hand on Dawn's shoulder, but Dawn shrugged it off. She turned back to her friend and started shaking her some more, calling her name over and over.  
  
"Dawn," began Giles. "You have to let us help. Please, back away so we can try."  
  
"Wh-what happened?" asked Dawn.  
  
"It was the spell," explained Willow. "She was floating above the demon, and was thrown against the wall before the demon disappeared. I assume that the spell was successful, but I don't know."  
  
"She was thrown? And none of you tried to stop it?"  
  
"I tried," muttered Giles.  
  
"You tried to interfere with the spell," Willow chastised. "Even after she specifically said not to."  
  
"What?" demanded Dawn as she turned to glare at Giles. "You interfered? Then this was probably your fault!"  
  
"No, it is not my fault! I did try to interfere, but was thrown against the wall myself. By Willow!"  
  
"It's true, Dawn. He wasn't able to interfere," offered Tara. Dawn's gaze shifted from Giles to Tara, and then settled on Beyoncé. Dawn let her fall carefully back to the floor and then scooted backwards on the floor, making room for the others to get to Beyoncé. Giles took her place, and checked the girl over.  
  
"She still has a pulse, and her heart beat seems normal." He felt the back of her head. "She doesn't seem to have a bump on her head where she hit the wall, either. I don't understand why she is not awake."  
  
"It's the burn-out," said Tara. Everyone turned to face her, and she swallowed hard. "When you use magic, you get a degree of burn-out. The more magic you use, the worse the burn-out. It's like any other type of activity… The more you do, the longer it takes for you to recover from it. She has used a lot of powerful magic today, and this must be the consequence. She should be okay, but it will take time."  
  
"How much time?" asked Dawn.  
  
"I… I don't know. I have only encountered this a couple of times myself. I don't know what it is like for her," explained Tara as she gestured towards Beyoncé.  
  
"Well, we better get her into the other room, and then maybe we can all relax a little," suggested Giles. He carefully picked the girl up and carried her into the main part of the store, setting her gently on the table. The others followed him, uncertain what to do now.  
  
"So, now what?" asked Anya.  
  
"Now, I guess we just wait and see what happens," answered Xander. The others looked at him. Then they slowly started to nod their agreement.  
  
***  
  
"Are you alright?" Buffy asked as she helped Spike get to his feet. The vampires had fought, but, after Spike and Buffy had taken out about thirty of them, the others turned and fled, after knocking Spike over.  
  
"I am fine," explained the vampire as he brushed himself off. "I wonder what that was all about."  
  
"It probably has something to do with him," said Buffy as she pointed to a man crouching next to a dumpster. The man noticed that she was pointing at him, and looked around for a means of escape. "It's okay. We aren't going to hurt you," she told him.  
  
"I…" was all he could say. He just looked up at them, and Buffy got the impression that he was fighting the urge to break down and cry. She walked up to him and offered her hand. He reached out tentatively and gripped it. As she pulled him to his feet, Spike looked the man up and down.  
  
"What makes you so important?" asked Spike.  
  
"I… I don't know. I was just out looking for my employer when two vampires started chasing me. Before I knew it, there were a few others in on the chase, and so I ducked into this alley. I was hiding when the two of you got involved. I guess I owe you my life. Th-thanks."  
  
"No thanks necessary," said Buffy. She smiled at him, hoping to calm him. "I was just doing my job. Now, you say you were out looking for your employer?"  
  
"Yes. She is… Well, I don't know how else to say it but to just tell it like it is. My employer is a vampire. I help her by acting as a liaison to the world of the living. Only, she is getting to where she needs that less and less. I was concerned for her, and decided that I should track her down, but instead of finding her, I was found by those vampires."  
  
"I am still a little confused," said Buffy. "You work for a vampire? What kind of things would a vampire need employees for?"  
  
"To manage their affairs. We, that is, the group of people who work for Auroura, manage things for her."  
  
"Auroura? You mean you work for her?" demanded Spike.  
  
"Y-yes," said the man as he looked up at Spike. Buffy could see him starting to shake. "Is that a problem?"  
  
"No," explained Buffy as she stepped between Spike and the young man. "We just know Auroura. That's all. She never mentioned that she had people working for her. It was just a bit of a shock. So, what kind of things do you do for her?"  
  
"Well, if you know her, then you must realize that she can't act as an adult in a lot f ways, because people see her as a naïve teenager. Also, she tends to move around a bit, being a vampire and needing… Well, vampirish things. We take care of that sort of thing for her. We provide her with a new identity when she needs one. I act as the man in charge of her trust fund until she becomes of age. I purchased the mansion for her, so that everything would appear to be legal, and people wouldn't be likely to ask questions. We provided her will all the fake documents she needs to get by until she moves on."  
  
"Oh," said Buffy. She turned to Spike. "Why don't you have people like that?"  
  
"I… I was evil, Buffy. I would sooner kill a human than hire him."  
  
"You have a point there," agreed Buffy. She turned back to the man she had saved. "So, what should we call you?"  
  
"Oh. I am Travis. Do you know where Auroura is?"  
  
"Yes, we do. And…" began Buffy. "There is really something that you should know."  
  
"Oh? What?"  
  
"We're being followed," stated Spike. He turned and faced their pursuers.  
  
"Just give us the human, Spike," hissed one of the vampires as he stepped forward.  
  
"Now, why would I do that? Finders, keepers, and all that," said Spike. The vampire stared at Spike for a moment, as if trying to decide whether or not he was serious. After a moment, the vampire nodded.  
  
"Okay. Have things your way. We'll just find another vessel."  
  
"Vessel? He's a human, not a boat, you bloody moron!"  
  
"Yes… Exactly what we need."  
  
"They're the ones trying to resurrect Glory!" whispered Buffy as she stepped behind him and poked him in the ribs. Spike looked at her, blinked in recognition, and turned back to the other vampire.  
  
"I'll give him to you, but only on one condition," said Spike.  
  
"You mean, like a deal? What sort of deal are you offering?"  
  
"I'll give you the human, but only if you let me go with you."  
  
"No! Spike, you can't!" yelled Buffy.  
  
"Stay out of this, Slayer," said Spike as he shoved her backwards. He grabbed Travis and stepped closer to the other vampire. "Do we have a deal?"  
  
"I don't see why not. But, what about her?"  
  
"Her? She's the Slayer. She'll be running off to get her reinforcements. By the time she returns, we'll be long gone." He kicked a bit of dirt at Buffy, and she stood up and pounced on him. He shoved her backwards again, put on his vampire guise, and jumped on top of her. He bit her as she fought, and began to drain her. Slowly, she stopped fighting and stopped moving. Blood dripped down her neck and onto the ground. Spike stood up, gripped Travis by the arm, and pulled him towards the group of vampires.  
  
"Well, what are we waiting for?" he asked as he made his way into the mob. The others gathered around and led Spike and Travis away.  
  
***  
  
Xander sat at the table, staring into the book, not really seeing the print on the pages. He was thinking about Buffy, and the way she had been acting. She said she was in love with Spike, and Xander wondered about that. He thought about when he and Anya had arrived at the cemetery when the others were in the process of bringing Buffy back. He remembered Anya talking about the spell Willow had cast, and how Buffy and Spike were once engaged.  
  
"Xander!" screamed Giles. Xander looked up at him, and noticed that everyone else was staring at him, also.  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
"I don't know. You were mumbling. We tried several times to get your attention. What were you thinking about?"  
  
"I… Nothing. I was just thinking. That's all. Nothing important."  
  
"Didn't seem so unimportant a few moments ago," said Anya. Xander could tell by the tone in her voice that she wasn't going to let the subject be dropped.  
  
"Alright, I will tell you. I was thinking that it might be our fault that Buffy is now in love with Spike." That last comment was directed at Anya, and by the way she flushed and turned away, Xander was certain that she knew it. Giles, however, was confused.  
  
"How? What could you possibly have done?"  
  
"Remember what Beyoncé said about the spell? That any type of distraction or hesitation might have adverse effects?"  
  
"Yeah, so?"  
  
"Well, when Anya and I got to the cemetery, we were talking about the time that Willow's spell made Buffy and Spike get engaged. That was when Dawn was attacked, and Beyoncé paused in her spell casting… I think that may have done it."  
  
"And you would be wrong," said Buffy as she walked into the Magic Box. They all turned to face her. She was pale, and had blood dripping from her neck. Giles rushed to her side.  
  
"Buffy? Are you okay? What happened?" he asked.  
  
"Huh? I'm fine. Spike and I have a plan to stop Glory from being resurrected. I just had to come here and get some reinforcements. So, are you guys up to it?" She looked around, and everyone was staring at her with shock evident on their faces. "What?"  
  
"You… You were bitten," whispered Dawn. She pointed up at Buffy's neck. Buffy reached up and touched her neck. When she moved her hand, there was no blood on it.  
  
"Oh!" exclaimed Buffy as she realized what they were seeing. "Witches aren't the only ones who can throw a Glamour, you know. Spike did this so that it would be more believable to the vampires." She turned and looked at Auroura. "Your employee, Travis, is here. Did you know that?"  
  
"Travis? What? Why?" asked Auroura. She was certain that the man had wanted to get as far away from her as possible.  
  
"He was worried about you. He said he was trying to find you when he came across some vampires who chased him into the alley where Spike and I were. Spike and I fended off the vamps, and we introduced ourselves to Travis. I think he has a crush on you. Anyway, while we were walking, I noticed that we were being followed, so I told Spike. We figured it must have something to do with those wanting to resurrect Glory, so we thought up a plan, and put it into action." Everyone was staring at her in disbelief. "Come on! I need to get going, otherwise I won't be able to track him."  
  
"Um, what about Beyoncé?" asked Dawn. Buffy looked at her. "She sent the demon back to its own dimension, but in the process hurt herself."  
  
"What? How?" asked Buffy. She was concerned, and not just because she wanted Beyoncé to help.  
  
"She's unconscious," said Giles as he gestured towards the table. Buffy went over to the table and looked at the girl lying on it. Buffy reached out and gently slapped the girl's face. Beyoncé stirred. In a couple of moments, she was sitting up.  
  
"Are you okay?" asked Buffy.  
  
"I… I think so. Wh-what happened?" asked Beyoncé.  
  
"You were thrown against the wall while performing your spell. We weren't sure what to do," explained Willow.  
  
"The spell?" The girl turned and faced the door to the back room. "The demon?"  
  
"It's gone! You sent it away," said Tara.  
  
"Oh. Good. So, what do we do now?" Beyoncé asked.  
  
"We go put an end to the plans to resurrect Glory! That is, if you think you can?" questioned Buffy.  
  
"Yeah. I think so. Let me see if I can stand up." The young witch stood up and grabbed a chair. After a second, she let go of the chair and smiled. "I'm ready."  
  
"Good! Let's go!" cried Buffy. She led the way out of the shop, and the others followed.  
  
***  
  
Spike looked around the clearing, searching the woods for Buffy and the others. He was getting impatient. He could only stall them for so long, and then he would be forced to either let them sacrifice Travis or try to rescue him. He didn't think he could actually manage either. As he was about to give up, he noticed a group of people approaching from the right. He sighed with relief as he turned back to the group of vampires assemble before him.  
  
"Okay. Enough talk," he told them. "Let's begin."  
  
He then stepped off to the side, as the other vampires took their places and prepared to begin the spell. Spike watched from the shadows, and suddenly realized what was really going on. The vampires had no intention of killing Travis! They wanted him to be the host for Glory! He couldn't let them finish the spell.  
  
"Slayer!" he screamed as the vampires started chanting. There was a moment of hesitation, and then one of the vampires took charge.  
  
"Those of you around the edges keep the Slayer and her friends busy. Those of us closest to the Vessel will continue chanting! Hurry, we must not fail! Glory must reign!" shouted the vampire. As he finished, he stepped closer to Travis and began chanting. Those along the outside perimeter turned and prepared to fight. Others joined in the chanting, and Spike decided that his duty was to save Travis. He began making his way through the mob.  
  
Buffy and the others came rushing up to the scene, going immediately into battle. Dawn, Auroura and Beyoncé kept to the shadows, watching. Beyoncé sat in the shadows of a tree and closed her eyes. She concentrated on giving the others extra strength. Dawn and Auroura stood guard, making sure that no one came near Beyoncé.  
  
Willow noticed Spike heading for the center of the mob, and turned to Tara. Tara nodded and reached out to Willow. As they clasped hands, the chanting vampires were all thrown backwards. As they were knocked backwards, they toppled the candles, and knocked Spike to the ground. There were screams of pain and terror as vampires caught fire, igniting those close to them, as well. Spike fought to get back to his feet. Once he was back up, he headed to Travis again.  
  
Meanwhile, Buffy was enjoying herself, as she battled the vampires. She was staking each one that came near her, and as the battle raged on, the adrenaline flowing through her veins invigorated her, giving her the extra energy and strength that she needed to continue. Xander and Anya were also battling the vampires. There seemed to be an endless number of them. No matter how many they staked, there seemed to always be more coming after them.  
  
Giles was fighting as well; invigorated by the power boost that Beyoncé was giving him. He knew that it wasn't permanent, but planned to use it to its full advantage while he had the chance. The power that he now had make him wonder what is must be like for Buffy, having had something similar to what was happening with him come so naturally to her. He gained new understanding of what it must be like to be a Slayer, and he didn't want it to stop. He wanted the battle to last for hours, just so he could have the experience continue.  
  
"Spike, head for cover! Hurry!" yelled Willow. Spike hesitated. He didn't know if he should go ahead and save Travis, or abandon him and follow Willow's directions. His moment of hesitation caused Willow to make his decision for him. He was thrown through the air and into the woods. As he landed, he scrambled behind a tree, uncertain of what to expect. He was about to peek around the tree when he heard Willow's voice in his head.  
  
"Spike, stay hidden. I don't want to kill you." Spike sank to the ground and covered himself as best he could. A blinding light filled the area, and an eerie silence followed. After a few seconds, Spike stood up and peered around the tree. The sight before him stunned him. There was ash and dust floating in the air. All of the vampires were gone. Buffy and Auroura were untying Travis. The others were standing around, staring in wonder at the scene before them.  
  
"What happened?" asked Spike as he approached the group. Willow and Tara were smiling.  
  
"We made simulated sunlight!" exclaimed Willow. "Thanks to Beyoncé, we had enough power to pull it off! I don't know if we will be able to do it again, but at least it worked today."  
  
"It was really amazing!" added Tara. "I can't believe how well it worked!"  
  
Buffy, Auroura and Travis came over to the rest of the group, who had gathered near the tree, where Beyoncé and Dawn had stayed. As they approached, Beyoncé stood up and smiled weakly. Everyone turned to face Travis, as Auroura began introductions.  
  
"Everyone, this it Travis. Travis, these are my friends, Buffy, Willow, Tara, Xander, Anya, Giles, Dawn, Spike, and Beyoncé," she said as she pointed to each of them.  
  
"Um… Hello. Nice to meet you," said Travis.  
  
"So, what do you do," asked Giles.  
  
"I…" began Travis, nervously.  
  
"He manages my finances," explained Auroura, not wishing to go into detail about exactly what Travis did.  
  
"Oh!" said Anya. She stepped forward and offered her hand. Travis shook it, and the others laughed. Travis gave Auroura a questioning look, but she just smiled at him.  
  
"So, now that the day has been saved, what do we do?" asked Spike.  
  
"I don't know," said Buffy. "I don't want to go home, yet. I am still feeling a bit wired. Think I'll patrol for a little while. Care to join me?"  
  
"Okay. Sounds good," answered Spike. With that, Buffy and Spike headed off into the woods. As they reached the edge of the clearing, Buffy reached out and grabbed Spike's hand.  
  
Willow watched them go, and then turned to the remaining members of the group. Auroura was tending to Travis, and Giles was just standing there, looking lost. Tara was also just standing there, but she seemed to be trying to reach some sort of decision. Willow had an idea what she was thinking.  
  
"Shall we go, then?" Willow asked. Tara didn't respond. Willow stepped closer and put her hand on Tara's arm. Tara jumped, and looked up at Willow. Willow could tell that Tara was trying to figure something out.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I d-don't know. Something just doesn't seem right."  
  
"Like what?" asked Giles.  
  
"I am not certain. It just seems that we missed something. Like it was too easy."  
  
"I know what you mean," agreed Giles. "There's more to this than we are seeing."  
  
"But, what else could there be? We stopped them from performing the spell, and we killed all of the vampires," said Willow.  
  
"That's it!" yelled Tara. "The vampires! Why were there only vampires?"  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Giles.  
  
"Why was the group comprised only of vampires? When we were in the cemetery, to resurrect Buffy, one of Glory's minions attacked Dawn. He got away. I am assuming that others are still out there, too. Yet… Not one of them was involved in the ritual to bring her back?"  
  
"My God," said Giles. "You're right! But that means…"  
  
"You didn't stop the ritual."  
  
The statement made them turn to the woods. One of Glory's minions stood at the edge of the clearing. He looked as though he had been attacked recently. His robes were torn and smeared with dirt, and he had scrapes and bruises on his face and arms. He almost fell as he took another step into the clearing. Giles and Xander rushed over to him, offering support. He smiled weakly as he accepted their help.  
  
"You did exactly as you were meant to do. While you were here, stopping this fake ritual, the real ritual was taking place underground. I tried to stop them… Not everyone worships Glory… They turned on me, and I was cast out. I rushed here to try to warn you in time, but… I fear it is too late."  
  
"What?" asked Dawn. She was visibly upset. She began shaking and looking around.  
  
"I fear that Glory has found a new Vessel, and may already be back," explained the minion.  
  
"Do you know who the Vessel is?" demanded Giles.  
  
"No… I was thrown out before the Vessel was prepared." The minion fell to the ground, despite the support being offered by Xander and Giles. Xander knelt beside him as Giles turned to Travis.  
  
"Do you have any idea who the Vessel is?" Giles asked Travis.  
  
"I… No. I was looking for Auroura when I started being chased. For all I know, I was just a convenient target. Sorry."  
  
"It isn't your fault," Giles assured him. He turned away, thinking out loud, "That means it could be any living male…"  
  
"No…" said the minion. "You are wrong… The Vessel…" He coughed up some blood, but kept talking. "The Vessel has to be neither male…" There was a sharp intake of breath, and everyone gathered closer, hoping to hear what the minion said next. "Neither male, nor living… Just animated…" That was it. The minion coughed once more, and then was silent.  
  
"Animated?" asked Anya.  
  
"Yes… I see now," said Giles.  
  
"So, don't keep it to yourself! This concerns all of us!" screamed Dawn. She was close to hysterics, constantly looking over her shoulders, making sure there was nothing coming after her. Willow and Tara stepped closer to her, trying to reassure her.  
  
"The Vessel could be anyone; male or female, living or dead. O-or, undead, actually. A vampire, perhaps."  
  
"Great!" said Xander. "That means it could be anyone in Sunnydale! How are we supposed to find out who this Vessel was?"  
  
"We need to find Buffy," said Dawn. "Buffy will know what to do. She always knows what to do…"  
  
"Of course… We'll go after her now," said Beyoncé. No one questioned this. They all just headed off in the direction that Spike and Buffy had gone. Once they were all in the woods, the minion sat up, smiled, and then rose to his feet. He started whistling as he headed off in the opposite direction.  
  
***  
  
Spike and Buffy were wandering, almost aimlessly, searching for any signs of trouble. They had been walking for only a few minutes when they came out of an alley and discovered a group of Glory's minions. The sight of those minions caused Buffy to stop in her tracks. She was suddenly aware that there was more to the story than she knew.  
  
"Spike! We messed up! And, possibly a fatal one! We have to find Dawn, and make sure she is still safe!"  
  
"Buffy, calm down. I think it would be in our best interest, and Dawn's, to check this out more before we go scaring anybody."  
  
"You're right," said Buffy as she settled down a little. She turned back towards the minions, and just observed them for a moment. "They seem happy… Like they have done something major."  
  
"As if they fooled the Slayer and her friends into stopping a fake ritual while they performed the real one without anyone even knowing?"  
  
"Exactly. We have to find out what they have done, and quickly. If Glory is back, she will be going after Dawn."  
  
"No, Buffy, I don't think she will. At least, not Dawn specifically. She knows that Dawn's blood can no longer open the portal. She also knows that you were directly responsible for stopping her. She will be after you."  
  
"But, she also knows that Dawn means more to me than anyone else. She will go after Dawn to make me suffer. That's the way she works! She'll kill everyone who means anything to me, and then she will come after me! She already said that!"  
  
"Buffy… Calm down. We need to go in there and find out what has happened. Then, once we are certain, we will find the others, okay?"  
  
"Okay… You're right. We need to know." She walked around the gathering, and grabbed one of the minions. She pulled him back into the alley. She threw him onto the ground and straddled him. She then broke his nose. He cried out, but his cry was cut short by Buffy, who placed her hand over his mouth. Spike stared in wonder. He had no idea that Buffy could be so cruel.  
  
"Alright. I think we have an understanding," Buffy told the minion. "You tell me what I want to know, and I won't cause you any more pain. Understand?" The minion nodded.  
  
"Buffy," said Spike.  
  
"Not now, Spike! I'm busy. Deal with whatever it is, okay?" She turned back to the minion. "Now, I need to know what you guys did over there. Start talking!"  
  
"What we did?" asked the minion as soon as Buffy took her hand away from his mouth. "We raised our master. Glorificus has returned! Don't hurt me anymore!"  
  
"Where is she? Who is her host?" demanded Buffy as she got to her feet. The minion took advantage of the moment and knocked Buffy over. He scrambled to his feet and headed out of the alley. Spike caught him, and in the struggle that ensued, the minion's neck was broken. Spike stared down at the body at his feet. He turned to Buffy.  
  
"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to kill him. I was just trying to stop him."  
  
"I know," said Buffy as she reached out and touched his arm. She turned towards the gathering place, and discovered that they were all disbanding. "We have a problem, and I don't just mean that Glory is back."  
  
"What? Another problem? What else could go wrong?"  
  
"I am finding it harder and harder to focus on fighting. I'd rather be… Doing other things… With you."  
  
"Buffy, you have to focus! They're all leaving! We have to stop them!"  
  
"No, we don't," she said as she shook her head, clearing her mind. "We have to find the others, and make sure they are all aware of what has happened. We need to get somewhere safe, and prepare for Glory. She'll come to us. Let's go."  
  
They headed back the way they had come, and were shocked to discover that the others were heading toward them. Buffy stopped, unable to imagine why the others would be searching for them so soon. Dawn noticed her and rushed forward. There were tears streaming down her face. Buffy was released from her paralysis and started running towards Dawn. They both froze in their tracks as Glory stepped out of shadows. She was between them, and staring at Dawn.  
  
"Hello," said Glory as she smiled. "You are supposed to be dead. I can fix that." She reached out to grab Dawn as Buffy crashed into her from behind. Glory and Buffy fell to the ground as Giles grabbed Dawn and pulled her back. The others crowded around Dawn and together, they made their way into a building. Buffy and Spike were attacking Glory, but it was obvious that Glory was going to defeat them. She picked Spike up and threw him. He hit a brick wall and fell to the ground. He wasn't moving.  
  
"Oh, no!" screamed Auroura. "He's human again! The blood worked too quickly!" She reached for the door, but Xander stopped her.  
  
Beyoncé grabbed Willow's hand, and Willow grasped Tara's. Beyoncé then began speaking in a strange language. There was a flash of blue light, and, their vision cleared, they discovered that Glory was gone. Buffy was kneeling beside Spike. She reached out to him, her hand trembling. He opened his eyes and looked up at her.  
  
"I thought…" moaned Buffy. Spike sat up carefully and embraced her.  
  
"I am okay… Hitting a brick wall with that much force hurts vampires, too, you know. We are immortal, but we still feel pain." Buffy looked up at him. There were tears in her eyes. Spike didn't have time to come up with anything else to say, because the others came up behind them.  
  
"Buffy? Are you okay?" asked Dawn. Buffy nodded. Auroura was checking Spike over. Giles helped Buffy get to her feet, as Xander did the same for Spike. The two exchanged a glance. Xander smiled slightly. Spike nodded and patted him on the shoulder. Dawn stayed beside Buffy, and Spike stepped up beside her as well. Giles walked directly behind Buffy, with Beyoncé behind Dawn. Auroura and Travis were behind Spike. Willow, Tara, Xander and Anya brought up the rear. They all headed to the magic shop.  
  
***  
  
Glory appeared in the cemetery, on top of the ruins of Spike's crypt. She looked around, stunned that she had been teleported. She bent down and picked up a stone from the rubble. She crushed it in her hand to help release some of her anger. As her anger subsided, she started walking back towards town. She had a pretty good idea where to find the Slayer. As she walked, however, her control over her new body slipped, and her host regained control. Glory morphed.  
  
"What am I doing here?" asked Harmony as she looked around.  
  
***  
  
"We need a plan. I can't fight her. She's too strong," admitted Buffy when everyone had settled in at the magic shop. She turned to Giles, who shook his head, indicating that he had no ideas.  
  
"I have an idea," said Beyoncé. "But… It's tricky. And, there will be some major consequences."  
  
"Go on," said Buffy.  
  
"There's a spell… Very powerful, and older than most known forms of magic. I believe we could use it to…"  
  
"To what? Kill Glory?" asked Dawn.  
  
"Not exactly. The spell will rid us of Glory, but… Magic is a tricky thing. Arcane magic is even more complex, and more powerful, than the magic that is practiced today. I am older than all of you put together, even the vampires and ex-demon. In my lifetime I have seen and done spells that would make all of the things you consider to be great magic seem like mere parlor tricks. The spell can be used to send Glory back to her home dimension, and seal the gateway between the two dimensions."  
  
"That's wonderful! We'll be rid of her for good, then!" exclaimed Dawn.  
  
"But, as I said, there are some serious consequences, which have to be considered carefully. The spell cannot be reversed, so we have to be absolutely certain that this is what we want to do. The spell is so powerful that it will alter the entire universe."  
  
"What exactly does that mean?" asked Giles.  
  
"It means that things will be different. There will be some minor changes, and there will be major changes. I have witnessed the spell performed twice. Each time, the changes were different. They appear to be random, too. Minor changes that I have witnessed have included elemental changes in the Earth. There could be more of some elements, while others are lessened. Some of the major consequences, though, have been disastrous: the shifting of the orbits of planets, the destruction of civilizations, and the extinction of entire species."  
  
"And, there is no way to determine ahead of time what the consequences might be?" queried Giles.  
  
"I… I never actually thought about it. I don't know."  
  
"Okay," said Buffy. "Giles, can you work with Beyoncé, Willow and Tara to see if we can use this spell. If not, perhaps we can find another one to use. Xander, I need you and Spike to help me turn this place into a fortress. Can you do it?"  
  
"I think so. But, it won't be easy," answered Xander.  
  
"I know. Especially since we have no idea when Glory might get here."  
  
"What about me? What can I do?" asked Anya.  
  
"Well, we seem to have two projects going on right now. Choose one, and do whatever you can to help," said Buffy. Then she turned to Auroura, Travis, and Dawn. "That goes for you guys as well. The sooner we are prepared for Glory's next attack, the better."  
  
***  
  
Harmony knew that something was wrong, but wasn't able to figure out what it was. She also knew that there were people who could help her figure out what was wrong. Unfortunately, those people were also her enemies. Well, all of them except for Spike. He might be willing to help her. She decided to track him down and ask for his help. She went back to the cemetery, and was surprised to find that Spike's crypt was now a pile of rubble. She had a few ideas of where he might be, but didn't know where to start.  
  
She started to feel strange, like someone was trying to hurt her. She looked around, but saw no one. The feeling of impending trouble grew stronger, and she searched for a place to hide. There weren't many options in the cemetery, so she ran, trying to get out of the graveyard. No matter where she went, or how fast she ran, the feeling of dread got stronger. She finally decided that there was only one place she could turn for help, and headed to The Magic Box.  
  
***  
  
"We've been doing research for over an hour," said Giles, "and we are no closer to figuring out anything than we were when we started."  
  
"What if…" began Tara. The others turned to her, and she froze. She hated being the center f attention, but felt the need to express her idea. It could work, if they did everything correctly.  
  
"What? What if what?" asked Dawn. Tara looked at her and smiled. Dawn realized that Tara was nervous. "Go ahead and tell us."  
  
"Well… We have three very powerful witches here, and you, Giles… You've used magic in the past, and you have a great deal of knowledge about all sorts of things, including magic and its effects…"  
  
"Yes, w-well I…" stammered Giles.  
  
"What I am suggesting is… What if we made a new spell?"  
  
"I don't know," said Giles. The concern in his voice was obvious.  
  
"Hmm… it would be tricky," explained Beyoncé. "This is a lot more difficult than anything I have ever done before. We're talking about messing with arcane power. Things that we were never meant to deal with. We'll have to come up with a spell that will not only open a controlled portal, but that will also force Glory into that portal. And, just Glory. We don't want the rest of us getting sucked in. We will also have to do a lot of research, making certain that the dimension to which we send her is the one that came from. Otherwise, we risk her attempting to get home from that dimension, causing us more problems, which we will never be able to foresee…"  
  
"And…" began Dawn. They all turned to look at her. "Well… It's just that… We have to do something about the person that she is in, don't we? I mean, she has a new host, and that person is innocent. We can't let them be harmed, can we?"  
  
"Of course not," said Tara. "But if we were to translate the original spell, so that we know exactly what it says, and what all it includes, then we can work on duplicating the actual results, while eliminating the side effects."  
  
"Can it be done?" asked Willow.  
  
"Yes!" said Tara, more forcefully than she had intended. "I mean…"  
  
"She's right," confirmed Beyoncé. "If we know exactly what we want the spell to do, and take the precautions to eliminate the side effects, we should be able to make it work. Unfortunately, it will take time. A lot of time, in fact, and that is what we are lacking in."  
  
"Not necessarily," said Willow. "I mean, we don't have a lot of time, but we can get more time…"  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Giles. But Tara was the one who answered.  
  
"We can work in teams," she said with a smile. "You and Beyoncé work on translating the spell, while Willow and I cast a few spells to slow Glory down. We may not be strong enough to stop her completely, but we can certainly buy a little more time. When we are done, we will come back and help with the rest of the spell."  
  
"I don't know," said Giles.  
  
"Let them do it," said Buffy as she stepped into the room. "I was listening to what they were saying. It might work. I was coming to get them to help us with the fortification of the building. That can be part of the spells that they cast. But, we still have to hurry. We don't know how Glory came back. We don't know if she is at full strength or not. If she isn't, then she will have to do something to regain her power. While she is doing that, we have time. If she did come back at full strength, then we have a lot less time to get things ready."  
  
***  
  
Harmony wandered through the streets of Sunnydale. She had a headache, and wasn't sure what was causing it. She needed to find Spike. He would help her. At this point in time, she would even settle for finding Buffy. Being staked was starting to sound nice compared to the pain that was filling her head, blinding her, confusing her… She decided that she didn't want to fight anymore. She was ready to give up. She gave in to the pain, and felt a sensation of falling. She never hit anything, but was oddly comforted in the darkness. There was no pain, and for that she was truly grateful.  
  
Glory took over the body and looked around. She recognized the buildings. She'd had an apartment in one of them, until the Slayer interfered with her plans. But, now that she was back, she was going to make sure that the Slayer, and all of her friends, suffered for what they had done to her. She could think of nothing else. There were only the urgent, all-consuming thoughts about her revenge. She thought about where she should go first. Perhaps she would start with Dawn. Since Glory could no longer use her blood to open the portal to her own dimension, perhaps it would be best to spill it all over the Slayer's house, just to show her how futile her efforts truly were.  
  
Walking quickly, she made her way to Buffy's house. She stood across the street from it and watched it in silence for several moments. She knew that there was no one home. She thought about where they would be. How long had she been forced out of her host? Did they know who her host was? She decided that she would go check the magic shop. She knew that was one of their favorite places to gather. She walked back the way she had come.  
  
She was in the heart of the town in just a few moments, and she headed towards the Magic Box. Suddenly, a loud noise, much like a siren, began. It filled the town, seeming to come from everywhere at once. Glory ignored it and continued walking towards the magic shop.  
  
***  
  
Willow and Tara had just finished their spells when the alarm sounded. Everyone jumped, and then froze. Willow and Tara exchanged a glance. They knew immediately what it was. Buffy appeared beside them.  
  
"Is that what I think it is?" she asked.  
  
"The wards for Glory," said Tara as she nodded her head.  
  
"She's here," added Willow.  
  
Dawn burst into the room, a frightened look on her face. She looked at the door, and then at Buffy. Buffy could see that she was panicking. Buffy sympathized. She wished that she could just panic, but knew that if she did, everyone would suffer. She grabbed Dawn and gently pushed her behind the counter. She turned to Willow and Tara.  
  
"You two! Go see if Giles and Beyoncé have made any progress on the spell! We don't know how long it will take her to break through our defenses!" The girls hesitated. "Go!" screamed Buffy. The two of them exchanged a frightened look, and then headed to the other room.  
  
Dawn pushed past Buffy and followed them. Buffy made no effort to stop her. Instead, she went to the window and looked outside. Glory was standing on the street, directly in front of the shop. She had her arm raised, as if ready to hit someone. She thrust it forward, and it stopped at the curb, sending red sparks flying off to the sides. There was an invisible barrier, and Glory was trying to knock it down.  
  
Xander appeared beside Buffy, looking outside with her. Buffy was afraid that the barrier wouldn't last long enough to let them finish their plans. Xander placed his hand on her shoulder. She jumped, as if startled, and turned to face him.  
  
"I think we're ready," he explained. Buffy nodded and headed to the back room, with a determined look on her face. Xander stared out the window for a moment, watching as Glory begins pounding on the barrier with both hands. She is screaming something, but there is no sound. He turned and followed Buffy into the other room.  
  
"So, we can control the side effects to a limited degree," Giles was saying. "But, we have no way of knowing for certain what they will be. Just where they will occur."  
  
"That's fine… So, what's the next step?" asked Buffy.  
  
"The next step is to get everyone out of here, except the three of us," said Beyoncé, as she indicated herself, Willow and Tara.  
  
"What?" demanded Dawn.  
  
"We have to perform the spell from inside the barrier. Once everyone else is securely out of the barrier, we will let Glory in, and we will perform the spell. We should be perfectly safe, as long as Glory doesn't get to us."  
  
Dawn just stared at her new friend, unable to believe what was happening. She was about to protest, but she knew it would do no good. She hung her head and waited to find out what was going to happen. Willow, Tara and Beyoncé stepped into the other room, where they could still be seen. Willow nodded at Buffy. Buffy walked over and pulled open the back door. There was a flash of blue light in front of the door. Buffy stepped outside. The others walked out behind her, one at a time. They stood in the alley and waited. Buffy shut the door, and the blue light flashed again. The group moved cautiously away from the building.  
  
***  
  
Once the others had left the shop, Beyoncé turned to the front door. The front of the shop collapsed, and they could see Glory. She froze for an instant, and then continued banging on the barrier. Tara raised her hand to point at Glory. She fell forward in a flash of blue light. She stood up, and realized that she was inside the barrier. She stormed forward, intending to kill the first person she came into contact with.  
  
The three witches began chanting. Glory froze in place. She tried in vain to move, but was unable.  
  
"That's a holding spell," explained Beyoncé. "You cannot move until we release you. We are sending you home, Glorificus."  
  
At the sound of her name, Glory stopped trying to break free of the spell. She glared at the witch, trying to determine if what she said was the truth. She looked from Beyoncé to Willow to Tara. They all seemed too confident.  
  
"We have modified an ancient spell, and are ready and willing to sacrifice ourselves in the effort to permanently expel you from this dimension," explained Beyoncé. The other two nodded their agreement.  
  
"But, why?" asked Glory. She couldn't understand why they would be willing to help her, after all she had done.  
  
"Because, this is the only way that we can all get what we want. You want to go home, and we want you out of here. We could fight you, but, even if we managed to defeat you again, we would suffer in the fight." Glory nodded, as if she was finally beginning to understand. She said nothing more, but didn't try to move, either. The three witches formed a triangle around her and began chanting once again.  
  
There was a wind inside the barrier, and the items around the shop began flying around. Tara noticed that the others had made their way to the front of the shop. They were standing in the street, staring intently at what was happening. A red light appeared above Glory. It started out the size of a dime, but quickly grew. There was a flash of white light, and everything went black.  
  
***  
  
"What is happening?" screamed Dawn. She was standing at the edge of the barrier, her hands cupped to the sides of her face. Inside the barrier, they could see nothing but white mist.  
  
"I don't know," said Giles as he shook his head. He feared that there would be nothing left inside the barrier. He stepped up beside Dawn and placed his hand on her shoulder. She shrugged him off and continued her search. Buffy was beside her, also searching. They were all gathered in the same spot where Glory had stood just moments before.  
  
"I don't understand," said Anya. "They are obviously still alive in there." Everyone turned to face her, waiting for an explanation. "Well, if they had died, then the barrier would have collapsed immediately. The fact that it is still up means that they are still alive."  
  
"Alive, yes," said Giles. There was something in his voice that caused everyone to turn and face him. "Alive, but at what cost? They are probably different. We all knew that there were great risks involved with this spell. The side effects, especially since they were so unpredictable, could have done just about anything to them."  
  
"What are you saying?" demanded Dawn.  
  
"I am saying that they may not be the same now as they were when we left them. They all used arcane powers that should have been lost to humans long ago. Magic that powerful is dangerous, and it always comes at a price. They may not even be human anymore…"  
  
"No!" screamed Dawn. "No! They did all of this to save us! To save me!! They have to be okay!" She turned her attention back tot eh barrier, pounding on it the same way that Glory had pounded on it less than fifteen minutes before. She started crying. Buffy reached out to comfort her, but Dawn collapsed to the ground. The barrier was gone, and the mist was starting to dissipate. Dawn looked up.  
  
There was a figure staggering out of the mist, coming straight at them. They all drew deep breaths and waited. Three other figures formed behind the first one. Slowly, the first figure came into view. It was Harmony! They all stared in amazement. That was one thing that none of them had expected. In fact, they had all forgotten that Glory's host was supposed to be freed during the spell. Spike grabbed Harmony's arm and led her over to the curb. She sat down.  
  
Slowly, Tara, Willow, and Beyoncé made their way out of the mist. They all seemed a little disoriented, but other than that, they seemed fine. Dawn rushed forward, and helped Beyoncé as Buffy and Giles met Tara and Willow. The group sat in the street, watching as the last of the mist cleared away. There was nothing left. The Magic shop was gone. In its place was an empty lot.  
  
"Are you okay?" Dawn asked Beyoncé.  
  
"I… I think so. Only… I am different. I feel part of myself is missing." The young witch shook her head, as if trying to clear her thoughts. "There is something different, but I am not yet certain of what it is."  
  
"I know what you mean," said Willow.  
  
"I feel it, too," added Tara. "It's like… Like I am not whole anymore. Something, some part of who I am, is just… Gone."  
  
"Are you going to be okay?" asked Buffy.  
  
"I don't know…" said Tara. Willow and Beyoncé nodded their agreement.  
  
"But, we'll find out," said Beyoncé.  
  
"Together," finished Willow, as she smiled and wrapped her arm around Tara. Tara smiled back.  
  
The sun rose, casting shadows over the street, and making the few remaining strands of mist seem to glow. Everyone turned to the sun, squinting. Then, almost as an afterthought, they all turned to face Harmony and Spike. They were standing in the sunlight, staring at each other. They weren't burning.  
  
"I… I'm human again," said Spike.  
  
"I'm not a vampire anymore? But, how?" asked Harmony.  
  
"The spell," said Willow. Everyone nodded like this simple statement had explained everything. To them, it did. Spike walked over to Buffy and put his arm around her. Willow and Tara were snuggling. Anya and Xander were kissing. Auroura and Travis were smiling at each other. Dawn was helping Beyoncé explain everything to Harmony.  
  
"Well, the world is safe once again," said Giles. "Thanks for the lovely evening. I am going home." He turned and walked away. The others nodded their agreement, and then headed off to their own directions, all of them smiling at the dawn of a new day. 


End file.
